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Circus Animals 
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Circus Animals 
In Funland 


By Laura Rountree Smith 

11 



Illustrated by 

Mae H. Scanned, Olive Lofts and Constance Enslow 
Cover Drawing by Alexander Key 


Albert Whitman & Company 
Publishers 

CHICAGO U. S. A. 


\ IW2 

1. e. 


Copyright 1922, 1923, 1928 
By Albert Whitman Company 



OTHER TITLES 


UNIFORM WITH THIS BOOK 

Denton’s Fanciful Tales 
Mother Brown Earth’s Children 
Robin Redbreast’s Home 
Little Folks from Etiquette Town 
Real Nature Stories 
Eskimo Island and Penquin Land 
Sixty Plays and Pastimes 


OciA 


-1A1077955 


A Just Right 
Made in the U. S. A. 



>6 


INTRODUCTION 

Old Man Imitator you know, 

Is the comical MONKEY in the show, 

And next I introduce to you, 

The OWL as Old Man Who-Who. 

In walks now I do declare, 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight, the BEAR, 

Old Man Sly-Foot, the WOLF, is around, 

And he scarcely makes a sound. 

Old Man Builder, the BEAVER, works busily. 
He is useful in any community. 

Read on, if you form the habit, 

You'll meet Tiny-Tail, the RABBIT, 

Old Roar-a-Bit, the LION, see, 

He is just as friendly as can be, 

Old Man Plenty-Shy, the DEER, 

In the zvoods awaits you here, 

Old Man Rubber-Neck, the GIRAFFE, 

Is very sure to make you laugh, 

The CAMEL, Old Man Never-Thirst, 

Comes in last—he is never first. 

Of good things you will never lack, 

When you open the POPULAR PEDLAR'S 
PACK. 



CONTENTS 

BOOK ONE 

PAGE 

THE COMICAL CIRCUS.11 

THE ANIMALS’ COMMUNITY PICNIC.25 

OLD MAN HUG'ME'TIGHT’S CHRISTMAS PARTY . . 37 

THE ANIMALS’ THRIFT SCHOOL.55 

OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY .... 69 












CONTENTS 

BOOK TWO 

PAGE 

DADDY-DO-LITTLE’S HOUSE ....... 9 

LITTLE NO-NAME.23 

CURLY TAIL GOES TO SCHOOL.37 

THE CLOCK FAIRY.51 

FIFTEEN LITTLE CURLY TAILS.63 


CONTENTS 

BOOK THREE 


A VISIT TO MRS. SANTA CLAUS.9 

A HAPPY NEW YEAR.23 

TABLE MANNERS.42 

THE COOKIE DOG.57 

THE CIRCUS DAY PARADE.70 

GARDEN DAYS.84 





















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The Popular Pedlar 





















THE COMICAL CIRCUS 

Let’s have a circus in the woods, 

And entertain guests as we should; 

Old Man Imitator’s wise, 

He’ll plan for you a nice surprise. 

One day Old Man Imitator called 
all his animal friends together and 
said, 

“A circus is the very thing 
To entertain in fall or spring.” 

“Hear, hear,” cried Old Man Hug- 
Me-Tight, waltzing round and round. 


11 



12 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


“Circus tricks, who can do circus 
tricks?” asked Old Man Builder. 

Old Man Tiny-Tail came hoppety- 
skip along, jumping a rope and sing¬ 
ing, 


“To jump the rope I formed the habit, 

Said Old Man Tiny-Tail, the Rabbit.” 

Old Man Plenty-Shy tried to make a 
remark, but the other animals all made 
such a noise that he could not be heard. 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight waltzed 
round and round, holding a stick as a 
partner. He looked very comical, and 
Old Man Builder said, 

“I can jump through a hoop if I don’t mistake it, 
A very good trick indeed I’ll make it.” 


Old Man Who-Who cried, 




THE COMICAL CIRCUS 


13 


“I can shout a bit, though I cannot sing, 

I’ll fly around the circus ring.” 

Old Man Plenty-Shy started to speak 
again, but the animals kept up such a 
stream of talk, planning their tricks 
that no one even noticed him, and he 
stared at them out of his great brown 
eyes. 

Old Man Rubber-Neck remarked, 

“There’s just one thing I surely know, 

I’m the tallest animal in the show.” 

Old Man Roar-A-Bit said, 

“I’ve wanted a circus for such an age, 

I’ll travel along in my nice, new cage.” 

They all cried “Hurrah” at that, and 
said, “We all ought to have cages or 
wagons or something and form a real 
circus day parade!” 




14 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Old Man Sly-Foot took from his cov¬ 
ered basket a new drum and beat it, 
waltzing up and down, singing, 

“I’ll be the drummer in the show, 
Around the circus ring, I’ll go.” 

Old Man Imitator knew so many 
tricks he could not count them all, and 
Old Man Plenty-Shy cried out so he 
could be heard at last, 

“I never was a brilliant talker, 

But I will be the tight-rope walker.” 

They all clapped loud and long. 

Did I say “ALL?” Well, I am mis¬ 
taken, for Old Man Never-Thirst 
was STUBBORN AND SET, AND 
WOULDN’T BE MOVED. He said, 

“I may have quite old-fashioned ways, 

But I don’t like your circus days.” 





Hurrah for the Clown 










































16 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


The other animals went on planning 
a real circus. 

They made a circus ring and a tent, 
and Old Man Sly-Foot said, 

“As I am going to be the drummer, 

I’ll take tickets from each new-comer.” 

The animals practiced their tricks 
to be sure they could do them well, and 
when the great day came, they 
marched through the woods waving 
banners like a real circus day parade. 

Old Man Roar-A-Bit stayed outside 
the tent, and roared with delight as all 
of the animals trooped inside. 

Old Man Imitator did only such 
tricks a monkey could do, and Old 
Man Tiny-Tail jumped the rope 66 
times without stopping. 




THE COMICAL CIRCUS 


17 


Old Man Hug-Me-Tight made a real 
hit with his waltzing. 

Old Man Who-Who flew round the 
ring and every one said of Old Man 
Rubber-Neck, “What a remarkable 
neck. What a tall animal.” 

Old Man Plenty-Shy was a fine tight¬ 
rope walker, and the audience held 
their breath as he balanced himself 
gracefully on the rope. 

Old Man Sly-Foot stood by the tent 
flap still singing, 

“I am Sly-Foot, I beat the drum, 

See the big crowd, they come, they come.” 

Sure enough, the crowd came along 
into the tent all the afternoon. 

Old Man Builder jumped through so 
many hoops he could not see straight. 




18 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Suddenly, without any warning, and 
in single instant of time, some one in the 
audience cried, 

“Where is the Clown, the Circus Clown? 

He ought to be riding up and down!” 

Soon all the audience were calling for 
the Clown. 

WHERE WAS THE CLOWN? 

The animals stared at each other and 
asked the same question, sure enough, 
they had quite forgotten the need of a 
Clown. 

The crowd was getting restless and 
even whispered, 

“We just call this an animal show, 

If there is no Clown, we’d better go.” 

At this very minute there was heard 
the sound of a tramp, tramp, tramping, 




THE COMICAL CIRCUS 


19 


and in came Old Man Never-Thirst 
with the Popular Pedlar on his back.. 

They all cried, 

“Hurrah, hurrah, we give three cheers, 

We’ve loved this Pedlar for years and years.” 

The Popular Pedlar jumped off the 
Camel’s back and opened his pack. It 
contained just one thing, a CLOWN 
SUIT AND CAP. 

He put them on, in the twinkling of 
an eye, jumped on the Camel’s back, 
and sang, 

“Ho, ho, I’ll hand you back your money, 
If you don’t think the Clown is funny. 

In red and white strip-ed gown, 

Ha, ha, ho, ho, he’s come to town.” 

He took off his cap and shook it, and 
out fell red candy, and yellow candy, 




20 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


and white candy, right into the laps of 
the audience. He continued to sing, 

“’Tis easy to become a Clown, 

And sing your verses up-side-down, 

The Clown is really full of mirth, 

He’ll give you all your money’s worth.” 

Then he took a pair of stilts from the 
Camel’s back and walked around the 
ring, with Old Man Rubber-Neck, until 
the crowd cried, 

“ ’Tis funny now we do declare, 

Around the ring they go, two of a pair.” 


The Popular Pedlar shouted then, 

“Where’s the pop corn, and red lemonade? 
You forgot them also I am afraid, 

Look again in the Popular Pedlar’s pack, 
To carry surprises I have the knack.” 




THE COMICAL CIRCUS 


21 


Then Old Man Imitator looked in 
the pack, and though it was empty a 
few minutes before, it now contained 



glasses and glasses of red lemonade, 
and bags and bags of popcorn, and a 
red balloon, for every girl animal, and a 
blue balloon, for every boy animal. 





22 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


The crowd shouted. 

Hurrah for the Clown, the Circus Clown, 
We are very glad he has come to town.” 

They had a merry time you may be 
sure. 

When the Circus was over, Old Man 
Imitator said to the Popular Pedlar, 
“When will we meet again?” 

To which the Popular Pedlar re¬ 
plied, 


“Perhaps in sunshine or in rain.” 

They all laughed as he danced away, 
carrying his wonderful pack, and 
shouted. 




THE COMICAL CIRCUS 


23 


“HURRAH FOR THE POPULAR 
PEDLAR’S PACK, 

WE HOPE THAT SOON HE’LL 
JOURNEY BACK, 

WE THINK HE MAKES A FUN¬ 
NY CLOWN, 

AND HOPE HE’LL COME BACK 
TO OUR TOWN, 

TO PLEASE US ALL HE HAS 
THE KNACK, 

HURRAH FOR THE POPULAR 
PEDLAR’S PACK. 

IF YOU WILL LOOK IN THIS 
FUNNY BOOK, 

PERHAPS YOU’LL SEE WHAT 
PATH HE TOOK, 

SO, WINK YOUR EYE AND DO 
NOT SIGH, 




24 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


WHEN HE CALLS TO YOU, 

“GOOD BYE, GOOD BYE.” 

OF TALES LIKE THESE HE 
HAS A STACK, 

HURRAH, HURRAH FOR THE 
PEDLAR’S PACK.” 



OLD M2AN 
WHO! WHO! 









THE ANIMALS’ COMMUNITY 
PICNIC 

Old Man Never-Thirst, you see, 

Is a helper in the community, 

And I hear Old Man Imitator say, 

“Let’s have a picnic every day!” 

Old Man Imitator, the Monkey, sat 
reading the daily paper. 

Suddenly, without any warning, and 
in a single instant of time, he looked 
over his spectacles and said, chuckling, 

“We’ll follow the fashion as well as we can 
With a picnic on the community plan!” 

“Who? who?” cried Old Man Who- 
Who from the branch of a tree near by. 


25 


26 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Old Man Imitator never stopped 
for a minute to answer, but swung by 
his tail from one tree to another, calling 
all the animals in the woods. He said, 

“It tickles me just like a feather, 

Come on, come on, let’s get together.” 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight, the Bear 
was in favor of the community picnic 
right from the start you may be sure, 
and he smacked his lips, as he said, 

“If I can find a cent of money, 

I’ll bring with me a pot of honey.” 

Old Man Sly-Foot, the Wolf, said, 

“Perhaps I’ll bring a chicken or two, 

In every community there are a few.” 

Old Man Roar-A-Bit, the Lion, 
became as tame as a kitten at the 
thought of the good things to eat, and 
Old Man Builder, the Beaver said, 




THE ANIMALS’ COMMUNITY PICNIC 27 


“Ha, ha, ho, ho, what do you think? 
I’ll build a roller skating rink.” 



A Cabbage Under Each Arm 


Old Man Tiny-Tail, the Rabbit, came 
running along with a cabbage under 
each arm, and Old Man Plenty-Shy, 
the Deer, was lingering about to hear 
what was said, though he took no part 
in the animals’ talk. 

Old Man Rubber-Neck, the Giraffe, 
was heartily in favor of the community 
picnic, but Old Man Never-Thirst was 




28 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


STUBBORN, AND SET, AND HE 
WOULDN’T BE MOVED. 

He said, 

“You can picnic in this community, 

But, Sirs, you cannot count on ME!” 

He sniffed the air, and went on to say 
he always felt shy and uncomfortable 
in company, and besides, he had no 
new blanket to wear. 

So saying, he left the animals and 
went tramp, tramp, tramp, about his 
business. 

Old Man Imitator patted, and 
coaxed and teased, as he ran after the 
Camel, but he was STUBBORN, AND 
SET, AND HE WOULDN’T BE 
MOVED, so, of course, the picnic party 
had to go right on and plan without 
him. 





Mr. Rubber Neck Tried to Count Them at the Picnic 
















30 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


When they had spread their red and 
white checked table cloth on the 
ground, Old Man Rubber-Neck 
stretched his long neck and said, 

“It’s a community picnic, that is clear, 

Are we all here? Are we all here?” 

They tried to count noses, but every 
one moved about so much, setting the 
picnic table cloth, that it was a difficult 
task. 

About as they were ready to sit down 
to the feast, Old Man Imitator fell 
behind. Where do you suppose he had 
gone? He went back to whisper 
something to Old Man Never-Thirst. 

At first the Old Man was STUB¬ 
BORN, AND SET, AND WOULDN’T 
BE MOVED, but by and by he began 
to wink one eye, and wink the other 






THE ANIMALS’ COMMUNITY PICNIC 31 


eye, and finally he nodded his wise old 
head as he seemed to agree to some¬ 
thing. 

Old Man Imitator went back and 
joined the picnic party just as they 
were beginning to miss him. 

It was a wonderful picnic party in 
the woods. 

Every one told jokes and funny 
stories, and they had a great many 
good things to eat. 

Suddenly, unexpectedly, and with¬ 
out a word of warning, the animals set 
up a cry. 

“I am so thirsty,” said Old Man Hug-Me-Tight. 
“I am so thirsty,” said Old Man Sly-Foot. 

“I am so thirsty,” said Old Man Roar-A-Bit. 

Then Old Man Who-Who, and Old 
Man Builder, and Old Man Tiny-Tail, 




32 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


and Old Man Rubber-Neck, and Old 
Man Plenty-Shy, joined the chorus. 

Do you know, those animals were so 
thirsty that the entire picnic party 
would have been spoiled, if they had 
not heard at that very minute, Old Man 
Never-Thirst lumbering along. 

He came along sniffing the air. 

He could detect a spring or stream, 
as easily as you could an ice cream 
cone. 

In less time than it takes to tell it, Old 
Man Never-Thirst had discovered a 
stream very near the picnic grounds, 
and all the animals took a good re¬ 
freshing drink of water. 

Old Man Imitator said, 

“Who is the best picnic-er, let’s agree 
Right here, in our own community?” 




THE ANIMALS’ COMMUNITY PICNIC 33 


A great shout arose ,“01d Man Nev- 
er-Thirst, because he found water 
when we were SO thirsty. If we had 
not had water to drink our picnic 
would have been spoiled. Hurrah, for 
Old Man Never-Thirst.” 



Was Stubborn and Set and Would Not Be Moved 


Then, they ran this way, and that 
way, and offered the Camel a piece of 
pie, and a tart, and a chocolate cake. 

He was never so popular before in 
all his life. 




34 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Every one wanted to lend him skates 
and give him a roller skating lesson, 
on the new roller skating rink, that 
Old Man Builder had made. 

Old Man Plenty-Shy whispered to 
Old Man Hug-Me-Tight, and so on, 
but Old Man Roar-A-Bit could not 
whisper to save his life, so he let the 
“cat right out of the bag,” crying, at 
the top of his lungs, 

“He’s a community worker, it is true, 

We will buy him a blanket so nice and new.” 

No sooner said than done. 

All the animals were so thankful for 
the fine drink of water that Old Man 
Imitator passed his cap, and soon the 
bright pennies went jingling in. 

At that very minute the Popular 
Pedlar came along, singing, 




THE ANIMALS’ COMMUNITY PICNIC 35 



Came Along Singing 


“Am I on the right road, I’ve lost track, 

But I carry a blanket within my pack!” 

“A blanket, a blanket, a blanket,” 
the animals all shouted! 

In less than an hour the bargain was 
made for the blanket, and the Popular 
Pedlar got a fine ham sandwich in the 
bargain. 

The Popular Pedlar sang a song, 

“I have not journeyed far or long, 

But of funny things there are a stack, 




36 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


In the Popular Pedlar’s pack, 

Some things buy, and some things borrow, 

I will visit you tomorrow, 

And the next time that I come back, 

You’ll cry, ‘Hurrah, for the Pedlar’s pack.’ ” 

Waving his cap gayly, the Popular 
Pedlar went off down the road. 







OLD MAN HUG-ME-TIGHT’S 
CHRISTMAS PARTY 


Old Man Hug-Me-Tight likes honey, 
But he has no ready money, 

And he’s very cross, for he has no cap, 
To wear, on his long, long winter nap! 


Old Man Hug-Me-Tight, the Bear, 
stood at the entrance to his den and 
growled and growled, for it was snow¬ 
ing and blowing, and he had not set¬ 
tled down yet to his winter nap. 

Old Man Imitator came swinging 
by, shouting, 

“Ho, ho, for the snow, the beautiful snow, 
Winter is coming we know, we know.” 


37 


38 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Then Old Man Hug-Me-Tight 
growled louder than ever, 

“I’m ready for my winter nap, 

But I need a new night cap.” 

Old Man Imitator said, 

“Don’t you feel so sad because 
Christmas is coming with Santa Claus.” 

Then he swung by his tail from the 
tree and made comical faces, but 
Old Man Hug-Me-Tight would not 
cheer up. 

Old Man Sly-Foot, the Wolf, went 
limpety, limp along, with his little cov¬ 
ered basket. He was humming a little 
song to himself, 

“I’ll not tell you, though you ask it, 

What is in my covered basket!” 





I Am Ready for My Winter's Nap, but I Need a New Night Cap 



















40 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Suddenly he came to a stop and set 
his basket down and said, 

“Long years ago I learned to howl, 

But tell me, Sir, why do you growl?” 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight replied, 

“I’d like to sleep for years and years, 

But I’m afraid I’ll freeze my ears!” 

To this, Old Man Sly-Foot replied, 

“Write to Santa Claus, mayhap, 

He will bring a new night cap.” 

So saying, Sly-Foot went limpety, 
limp, along with his funny little cov¬ 
ered basket. The animals always 
wondered what he carried in that cov¬ 
ered basket. 

Old Man Builder, the Beaver, came 
loafing along at this very minute, sing¬ 
ing, 




OLD MAN HUG-ME-TIGHT’S PARTY 41 


“Build for to-day and for to-morrow, 

It will save you from much sorrow.” 

He stopped when he heard such a 
great growling and asked what was 
the matter. 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight said, 

“If you needed a night cap, you’d not wonder 
Why to-day I growl like thunder!” 

Old Man Builder was quite inter¬ 
ested and said, 

“Hang your stocking up with care, 

Perhaps you’ll find a night cap there.” 

Then he went along to finish build¬ 
ing his wonderful house over on the 
dam. 

Old Man Tiny-Tail, the Rabbit, 
came by next, singing, 




42 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


“I have to sing, I formed the habit 
When I was but a little Rabbit.” 

At that, Old Man Hug-Me-Tight 
growled louder than ever, and Tiny- 
Tail stopped, bowing politely, and 
said, 

“I’m your willing servant, it is true, Sir, 

Is there anything that I can do, Sir?” 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight replied, 

“I need a night cap, I’ve been told, 

To keep me from the winter cold.” 

Tiny-Tail thought a few minutes 
and said, 

“Santa’s sleigh bells jingle so, 

He’ll soon be coming o’er the snow.” 

In a few minutes Old Man Rubber- 
Neck, the Giraffe, stretched his great 
neck as he came along, remarking, 




OLD MAN HUG-ME-TIGHT’S PARTY 43 


“I think I’ve heard that sound before, 
Hug-Me-Tight’s growl sounds like a roar.” 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight said, 

“I may have a sad mishap, 

If I have no new night cap.” 


He was thinking, I am sure, that he 
might freeze his ears on his long, long 
winter nap. 

Old Man Rubber-Neck had nothing 
to say further, so he went ambling 
along, and Old Man Never-Thirst, the 
Camel, was STUBBORN AND SET, 
AND WOULDN’T BE MOVED, so he 
did not stop at the Old Bear’s den to 
hold any conversation. 

Old Man Plenty-Shy peeped out 
from the bushes and said nothing, 
though he did a heap of thinking, and 




44 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Old Man Roar-A-Bit was so busy roar¬ 
ing over his own troubles, that he paid 
no attention to any one else. 

Old Man Imitator was a great 
reader, and he could imitate anything 
anybody else did, so he set his wits to 
work, and called all the animals to¬ 
gether. 

They held a council in the woods 
that December day. Old Man Imitator 
said, 

“Why does he sleep all winter, I wonder, 

And why does he growl like distant thunder?” 

Old Man Sly-Foot suggested, 

“He goes to sleep, as every one knows, 

To save some fuel, I really suppose!” 

The animals applauded at that, and 
Old Man Builder suggested, 





They Held a Council in the Woods 


































































46 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


“I don’t think Old Sly-Foot’s right, 
Perhaps he sleeps to save his lights.” 

They all laughed at that idea, and 
Tiny-Tail suggested, 

“Perhaps he sleeps here in the wood 
Because he’s short of winter food.” 

At this, they all looked serious, for 
they all knew what it was to be hungry 
in winter. 

Old Man Imitator said, 

“I’ll give an invitation, hearty, 

To Hug-Me-Tight’s Pound Party.” 

All were in favor of a pound party, 
but Old Man Never-Thirst. He was 
STUBBORN AND SET, AND 
WOULD’NT BE MOVED, even though 
he could have carried so many things 
upon his back. 




OLD MAN HUG-ME-TIGHT’S PARTY 47 


The animals shouted, 

“I’ll take a pound of sugar and tea, 

And pretty near always they could agree.” 

Old Man Never-Thirst said, 

“If I had a pound I wouldn’t give any, 

Even if I bought it for a dime or a penny.” 

He was a selfish Old Fellow, as you 
could see with one eye shut, and he 
was always STUBBORN AND SET, 
AND WOULDN’T BE MOVED. 

All the rest of the animals planned 
for a surprise party on Christmas Eve, 
and they even bought a great stocking 
and filled it with good things for Old 
Man Hug-Me-Tight. 

Old Man Sly-Foot suggested, 

“Perhaps now he will stay awake 
To enjoy his presents for our sakes.” 




48 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


They all applauded, even though 
they did not know what he carried in 
his little covered basket 

Every hour it grew nearer and 
nearer Christmas Eve. 

At last all the animals came to¬ 
gether. 

They had pounds and pounds of 
good things to eat. 

As they came near the den, they 
heard the Old Man growling, 

“A night cap, a night cap, 

A fortune for a night cap, 

I don’t care for Christmas a rap, 

I want a winter night cap!” 

At that, the animals whispered 
nervously, they hoped some one had 
brought a night cap, they did hope 




OLD MAN HUG-ME-TIGHT’S PARTY 49 


among other things the night cap had 
not been forgotten. 

In they trooped, shouting, “Merry 
Christmas, Merry Christmas.” 



They put their presents down on the 
floor and Old Man Hug-Me-Tight 
opened each one in turn, and thanked 





50 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


his friends politely. So far, there was 
no night cap. 

Suddenly, without any warning, and 
in a single instant of time, they had a 
real surprise, for in rode their old 
friend, the Popular Pedlar, on the 
Camel’s back. 

Old Man Never-Thirst, the Camel, 
shouted, 

“One good turn deserves another, 

I love the Pedlar like a brother.” 

He still wore the wonderful blanket 
bought from the Popular Pedlar. 

The Pedlar bowed and scraped and 
said, 


“You see I always have the knack. 

To carry something in my pack.” 

They all held their breath, and no 




OLD MAN HUG-ME-TIGHT’S PARTY 51 


one dared to wink an eye-lash even, 
while the Popular Pedlar began to un¬ 
strap his pack. 

He said, 

“Try to be patient just a minute, 

I have left, just one thing in it!” 

Old Man Who-Who peeped in the 
den, hooting merrily. He sang a song 
about a night cap. 

The Pedlar unstrapped this strap, 
and unbuckled this buckle, and at last 
he opened his pack. 

Old Man Rubber-Neck was first to 
see that he had left in it, a white lace 
night cap, with blue ribbon bows upon 
it. 

The Popular Pedlar put it on Hug- 
Me-Tight’s head, saying, 




52 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


“Though your head I did not measure, 

To present it gives me pleasure.” 

It fitted so well that Old Man Hug- 
Me-Tight growled pleasantly, 



Went Around Hugging Everybody 


“Any one can take a nap, 

When he wears a new night cap.” 

He was so happy that he hugged 
everyone, though Old Man Plenty-Shy 




OLD MAN HUG-ME-TIGHT’S PARTY 53 


was the last to get a hug, for, as usual, 
he stood in the corner. 

They all shouted, 

“Old Man Imitator is bright, 

He can also read and write, 

Hug-Me-Tight is glad because 
The Pedlar played Old Santa Claus, 

To our homes we’ll journey back, 

Hurrah, hurrah for the Pedlar’s pack!” 

They went home two and two, on 
that Merry Christmas Eve. 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight had not a 
stingy bone or a lazy bone in his body, 
so he divided his presents with the 
Popular Pedlar. 

I wonder if he slept all winter. I for¬ 
got to ask him. 




I 




























THE ANIMALS’ THRIFT 
SCHOOL 

“The animals say in fall or spring, 

We often hear the school bells ring, 

To be on time we all remember 
Is the rule in glad September.” 

Old Man Roar-A-Bit called all the 
animals together and said, 

“Though we are quite wild as a rule, 
Let’s ring a bell and go to school.” 

It was September, and everywhere 
over all the earth, school bells were 
ringing. 

Old Man Imitator said, 


55 


56 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


“I can already read and write, 

But I’ll go, a teacher to invite.” 

The animals applauded at that, and 
Old Man Hug-Me-Tight went around 
hugging everyone. 

Old Man Plenty-Shy even got inter¬ 
ested then, and he piped up, 

“I may be speaking out of turn, 

But some lessons we can learn.” 

They all agreed except Old Man 
Never-Thirst. He was STUBBORN 
AND SET, AND WOULDN’T BE 
MOVED. 

He said, 

“A school room holds no charm for me, 

I will stay beneath this shady tree.” 

Old Man Rubber-Neck stretched 
his long neck and inquired, 




THE ANIMALS’ THRIFT SCHOOL 57 


“If the Popular Pedlar came with his pack, 
Wouldn’t you carry him upon your back?” 

Old Man Never-Thirst did not reply. 



Was a Great Reader . 


but he walked off with a disgusted 
manner. 

Old Man Imitator came back swing¬ 
ing by his tail from tree to tree, shout- 






58 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


“Little Miss Thrift, from Thrift Town, 
Is our teacher, wearing cap and gown.” 


Sure enough, down the path came 
Little Miss Thrift, and, sure enough, 
she was straight from college, wearing 
cap and gown. 

She put all the animals to work at 
once, and soon they had made this 
motto on the earth in front of them, 

■ *y. %\ 

“Save to-day, in that way 

You’ll throw nothing good away.” 

Little Miss Thrift taught them a 
comical song, 

“Paper and string, paper and string, 

Of such things we like to sing.” 


Old Man Roar-A-Bit said, 




THE ANIMALS’ THRIFT SCHOOL 59 


“Bread comes in paper, where they make it, 
In shiny paper, I don’t mistake it.” 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight said, 

“I remember I pay good money, 

For a bag on my pot of honey.” 



I Pay Good Money 


Old Man Builder said, 

“The paper that we throw away, 

Would build a school-house here to-day.” 

















60 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Old Man Rubber-Neck said, 

“Every parcel that we bring, 

Has paper on it, and some string.” 

Little Miss Thrift was pleased to see 
that they knew so much already and 
she said, 

“If you want to help the nation’s good, 

Ypu must also save some food.” 

“Green leaves,” said Old Man 
Plenty-Shy. 

“Fat Sparrows,” said Old Man Who- 
Who. 

“Green Cabbages,” said Old Man 
Tiny-Tail. 

“Ripe coconuts,” said Old Man 
Imitator. 




THE ANIMALS’ THRIFT SCHOOL 61 


At this very minute, suddenly, and 
without an instant of warning, Old 
Man Roar-A-Bit cried out, 



1 Am Longing for a Cage 


“To-day I do not tell my age, 

But I am longing for a cage.” 

Little Miss Thrift said, 

“An old piano box would do. 

Then we could make a cage for you.” 




62 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Old Man Imitator said, 

“That’s true, und if we can commence 
We’ll take bars from an iron fence.” 


Of course the cage would have to 
have iron bars. 

Old Man Who-Who said, 

“Please do not go off in a rage, 

Tell me, why do you want a CAGE?” 

No one would answer for one hour 
and thirty-two minutes, and then Old 
Man Plenty-Shy said, 

“He wants to leave us, I’m afraid, 

To join the Circus Day Parade.” 

Old Man Roar-A-Bit did not say 
whether that was true or not, but he 
roared, 




THE ANIMALS’ THRIFT SCHOOL 63 


“If you once saw me in a rage, 

You’d be glad I had a cage.” 

Now, that was all he would say about 
the matter. 

Old Man Imitator said, 

“I have learned to read and write, 

But how I’d like to make a kite.” 

Then all the animals looked very 
wise and sang as before, 

“Paper and string, paper and string, 

Of such things we like to sing.” 

Old Man Builder said, 

“If we had material, you know, 

“We’d make a lantern before we go.” 

At this exciting minute, Old Man 
Never-Thirst came, tramp, tramp, 
tramping along, and on his back was 





64 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


the Popular Pedlar. He came sing¬ 
ing. 


“In the Popular Pedlar’s pack, 

Are so many things I can’t keep track, 

Of paper and string, there is no lack, 

In the Popular Pedlar’s pack.” 

“Paper and string,” shouted all the 
animals in less time than the twinkling 
of an eye. 

The Pedlar got off the Camel’s back. 
He took down his pack, the lock went 
“click, click, click.” 

In the pack was brown paper, and 
yellow paper, and white paper, and 
green paper, and pink paper, saved 
from pink paper parcels, and blue 
paper saved from blue paper parcels. 

He said, 




THE ANIMALS’ THRIFT SCHOOL 65 


“I’m the Popular Pedlar, it appears, 

I’ve saved my paper for years and years!” 

They all shouted, “Hurrah! Hurrah!” 
and they made wonderful paper kites 
and paper lanterns out of the paper 
and string from the Popular Pedlar’s 
pack. 

Old Man Tiny-Tail remarked, 

“Though I am but a Tiny Rabbit, 

I’m going to form the saving habit.” 

Little Miss Thrift gave him a brass 
medal and hung it on a string round 
his neck. 

She said, 

“For years and years we all could sing, 

Of things made of paper and made of string.” 

They all would have been happy as 
happy could be, if Old Man Roar-A- 




66 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 



Bit had not been thinking about join¬ 
ing the Circus Procession. He roared 
louder and louder, saying, 

“I’ll interrupt you at this stage, 

I really must have a Lion’s cage.” 

Old Man Never-Thirst knew that 
something must be done at once, so he 
went ambling along through the for- 




THE ANIMALS’ THRIFT SCHOOL 67 


est, and soon returned with an old 
piano box and a few iron rails from a 
worn out fence. 

Old Man Builder said, 

“I’m the Builder, oh, my stars, 

Here he comes with iron bars.” 

Such a merry time as they had, mak¬ 
ing a cage for Old Man Roar-A-Bit, 



They Made Paper Kites 




68 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


and in the late evening they all went 
home by lantern light, swinging their 
new paper lanterns as they went 
along, singing, 

“Paper and string, paper and string, 

Of such things we like to sing, 

To save a bit we’ve caught the knack, 
From the Popular Pedlar’s pack, 

Just wait before you turn the page, 

You’ll see the Lion in his cage, 

Paper and string, paper and string, 

Of such things we like to sing.” 





“OLD M2AN 
BUILDER:’ 



OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTH¬ 
DAY PARTY 

“We all give invitation hearty, 

To Old Man Builder’s Birthday Party, 
And on the note is R, S. V. P., 

Which means, ‘You must reply to me.’ ” 

Said Old Man Builder, the Beaver, 

“I’ve wanted a mirror it appears, 

For a day, six months and 99 years, 


69 



70 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


If I give invitation hearty, 

Perhaps I’ll get one for my Birthday Party.” 

He sat down then, and wrote invita¬ 
tions to his Birthday Party. He then 
took a swim in the pond where he had 
built his house and dropped his invita¬ 
tions in the nearest Post Office Box on 
the bank. 

When he got home he helped finish 
building his house. It was made of 
mud and sticks. All the time he kept 
singing a song his grandmother 
taught him, “Work like a Beaver, work 
like a Beaver.” 

When Old Man Imitator got his in¬ 
vitation to the Birthday Party, he sat 
down and wrote a note accepting it. 

He said to himself, 




OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY 71 



The Post Office on the Bank 


“I must take a present, you know, 

When to the Birthday Party I go.” 

Old Man Hug-Me-Tight was so 
pleased to be invited to a real, true 
party that he waltzed round and round 
all by himself, singing, 

“Though I have only a quarter in money, 

I will buy him a pot of fine honey.” 

Old Man Roar-A-Bit said, 

“If I lived in a book on a shining page, 

I hope they’d make me a guilded cage, 





72 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


I’m a very funny fellow, you know, 

And to the Birthday Party I’ll go.” 

This was such a long speech for him 
to make that he never said another 
word all day, even when the other 
animals passed by and said, “How do 
you do?” he only touched his cap and 
kept his thoughts to himself. 

Old Man Who-Who flew right back 
to the Beavers home and said, 

“Old Man Beaver, I accept, with pleasure, 

I will bring you a birthday treasure.” 

It was then and there that he found 
out about the mirror. He surprised 
Old Man Builder and heard him sing¬ 
ing, 

“I hope I’ll not shed many tears, 

“I’ve wanted a mirror for years and years.” 




OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY 73 


Old Man Who-Who flew back and 
told all the animals about the mirror, 
but they shook their heads and said, 

“It seems the request is rather funny, 

.Specially as we are short of money.” 

Still each animal went on plotting 
and planning what presents they could 
take to the Birthday Party. 

Old Man Plenty-Shy said, 

“I am very timid, as you see, 

A party is no place for me.” 

Just then Little Tiny-Tail came by 
and said, 

“I’ll get a back seat for you, you know, 

To the Birthday Party you’d better go.” 

Old Man Sly-Foot came hoppety- 
skip along with his covered basket, 
singing. 




74 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


“I’ll not tell you though you ask it, 
What present is in my covered basket!” 



Old Man Rubber-Neck said, 

“In my head there is a notion, 

I’ll not like the water’s motion.” 

Sure enough, they would have to 
ride in a canoe to reach Old Man 
Builder’s Home. 





OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY 75 


All the animals agreed to meet to 
go together to the party except Old 
Man Never-Thirst. He was STUB¬ 
BORN AND SET, AND WOULDN’T 
BE MOVED. 

At last they started with all sorts of 
paper bags and paper parcels, in which 
they carried presents for Old Man 
Builder. 

They rode away, away, away in a 
canoe, and at last came to Old Man 
Builder’s home, and a wonderful home 
it was. 

Said Old Man Rubber-Neck, the Giraffe, 
“If I try to get in, I’ll have to laugh!” 

They all set up a shout, sure enough 
he had much too long a neck to take 
with him indoors anywhere. 

At this very minute Old Man Builder 




1 






















OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY 77 


was swimming out to meet them. He 
used his great big tail like a paddle 

He saw he could not entertain all his 
friends in his home, though it con¬ 
tained many rooms, so he suggested 
that they hold their party under the 
shady trees on the bank near-by. 

They said one after another, 

“We brought you presents, as you see, 
Please accept this bag from me.” 

Old Man Imitator gave him a gold 
watch that went tick, tick, and it sang 
a little rhyme, 

“Tick, tick, in song and rhyme, 

I bring you a happy time.” 

“Did you get what you wanted?” 
asked Old Man Sly-Foot. 

Old Man Builder said, 




78 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


“I am so happy I have to sing, 

I got all I wanted but just one thing.” 

Then Old Man Hug-Me-Tight gave 
him a pot of honey, and Old Man Roar- 



A-Bit gave him roots of water lilies, 
and every time he got a present Old 





OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY 79 


Man Sly-Foot asked, “Did you get 
all you wanted?” and every time 
Old Man Builder replied, 



“I am so happy I have to sing, 

I got all I wanted but just one thing.” 






80 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


Old Man Who-Who brought him a 
neat little package filled with bark of 
trees and said, 

“Enjoy your breakfast if you please, 

I brought you bark from the poplar trees.” 

Old Man Plenty-Shy was not to be 
left behind, so he said, 

“Enjoy your dinner, if you please, 

I brought you bark from willow trees.” 

Old Man Rubber-Neck said, 

“Enjoy your supper if you please, 

I brought you bark from old birch trees.” 

Old Man Builder bowed his thanks, 
and Old Man Tiny-Tail gave him a 
cabbage, and Old Man Sly-Foot next 
set down his covered basket. 




OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY 81 


Every one wondered what was in the 
covered basket 

Up came the cover at last, and out 
came a little music box that played a 
merry tune, 

Then to show they all felt pleasure, 

They danced to music’s merry measure. 

Old Man Sly-Foot knew he had 
brought the most expensive present 
so he asked as before, “Did you get 
everything you wanted?” 

Old Man Builder replied, 

“I am so happy I have to sing, 

I got all I wanted but just one thing.” 

All the presents had been given, and 
I don’t know what in the world they 
would have done next if they had not 
heard a tramp, tramp, tramping be¬ 
hind them. 




82 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


There came Old Man Never-Thirst 
and on his back the Popular Pedlar, 
shouting, 

“A birthday present brings so many smiles, 

I’ve traveled to get here for miles and miles.” 

They all said, 

“Hurrah for the Pedlar, hurrah for his pack, 
He carries surprises upon his back!” 

Old Man Sly-Foot whispered right 
into Old Man Builder’s ear, “Did you 
get everything you wanted?” and be¬ 
fore Old Man Builder could reply, the 
Popular Pedlar got off the Camel’s 
back and opened his pack. “Snip, 
snap,” went the clasps, and there in¬ 
side lay a shining mirror. 

They all shouted with joy and said, 




OLD MAN BUILDER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY 83 


“He wanted a mirror, we all declare, 

To see how to comb his wonderful hair.” 



Thank You for Everything 


Old Man Tiny-Tail helped carry the 
mirror into Old Man Builder’s home 
and all the animals danced and sang. 

“The Popular Pedlar has such a knack, 

Of carrying presents upon his back, 

Of his kindness we cannot keep track, 
Hurrah for the Popular Pedlar’s pack.” 









84 


COMICAL CIRCUS STORIES 


When the sun set they all went home 
declaring it was a wonderful Birthday 
Party, and Old Man Builder said, 

“I thank you for everything, my dears, 

I’ve needed that mirror for years and years— 

I thank you again in accents hearty, 

We had a wonderful Birthday Party.” 




























































































































































































































































Book Two 

Jolly Polly and Curly Tail 


> 

















Learning Their A B C’s 

























































































































JOLLY POLLY AND 
CURLY TAIL 



The North Wind Blows 


DADDY-DO-LITTLE’S HOUSE 

“The North wind blows with stormy gale, 
Who is so happy as Curly-Tail? 

Tap, tap, tap, the parrot came, 

But did not want to tell his name.” 

Little Curly-Tail lived in a little wee 
house at the edge of the woods. 










10 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


One bright September day he danced 
about and sang a merry little song. 

While he was singing, he heard, “rap, 
a, tap, rap, a, tap,” on the window pane. 
Looking out, he saw a large Pretty 
Parrot on the window-sill. 

Curly-Tail curled his little tail up 
tighter and tighter and said, 

“I’m really very glad you came, 

Tell me, Sir, what is your name?” 

The Parrot replied, 

“Ha, ha, ha, I’m very jolly, 

But don’t ever call me POLLY!” 

Curly-Tail opened the window of his 
little wee house and the Parrot came in 
saying, 

“Tell me your name, tell me your age, 

But first of all find me a cage.” 




DADDY-DO-LITTLE’S HOUSE 


11 


“Do you like living in a cage?” asked 
Curly-Tail “I would much rather live in 
a little wee house.” 

The Parrot sat perched upon a chair 
and said again, 

“Tell me your name, tell me your age, 

But first of all find me a cage.” 

Then Curly-Tail danced and capered 
about and all the time his little tail 
curled up tighter and tighter. 

Finally he stopped dancing and said, 

“Guess my age—perhaps you’ll fail, 

But my right name is Curly-Tail.” 

The Parrot guessed, “five” and“six,” 
and “four” and when he was tired 
guessing Curly-Tail’s age he said, 

“I can do without your age, 

But really I must have a cage.” 






12 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Curly-Tail wanted to please his 
visitor, so he went up-stairs and found 
a large, paste-board box. 

He took the box down stairs and be¬ 
gan to make a cage. 

The Parrot hopped about from one 
chair to another saying, 

“Such a cage will never do, 

Make it of wire, with a door or two.” 

Curly-Tail saw that something must 
be done at once so he said, 

“How to make a cage I do not know, 

To Daddy-Do-Little we will go.” 

“Who is Daddy-Do-Little?” inquired 
the Parrot. 

Curly-Tail turned a backward som¬ 
ersault and said, “To think that you 




DADDY-DO-LITTLE’S HOUSE 13 


never heard of Daddy-Do-Little! ha, 
ha, ha.” 



Curly Tail Turned a Backward Somersault 

As the Parrot kept asking who 
Daddy-Do-Little was, Curly-Tail final¬ 
ly replied, 

“As sure as my tail is slightly curled. 

He’s the oldest dog in the wide, wide world.” 




















14 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


“Oh, ho what does he know about 
making Parrot cages?” inquired the 
Parrot, looking cross-eyed. 

Curly-Tail said, 

“He knows everything I am told, 

For he is six hundred and two years old 

Curly-Tail put on his little white 
neck tie and his gold rimmed specta¬ 
cles, and taking the Parrot in a covered 
basket carrying the handle in his 
mouth, went merrily along. 

He said, “You had better not talk 
until we arrive safely at Daddy-Do- 
Little’s house.” 

At that very minute, not a second 
before, or a second after, they met Billy 
Long-Beard, the goat who made a bow 
and said, 




DADDY-DO-LITTLE’S HOUSE 


15 


“Curly-Tail, I have to ask it, 

Whom do you carry in your basket?” 

Before Curly-Tail could answer, the 
Parrot forgot to keep still and shouted, 

“Go to bed, sleepy head, 

Enough said, enough said.” 

Billy Long Beard was so scared to 
hear a voice come out of a covered bas¬ 
ket that he scampered away as fast as 
his legs could carry him. 

Soon they arrived safely at Daddy- 
Do-Little’s house. He stuck his head 
out the window and said, 

“I do little, as you’ve heard say, 

But this is not my visiting day.” 

Curly-Tail curled his tail up tighter 
and tighter and said, 




16 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


“I have a parrot of tender age, 

Please tell me how to make a cage.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“Please take the bird and go away, 

But call on me another day.” 

Curly-Tail said, 

“I do not really mean to tease, 

But let us in, dear grandpa, please.” 

Daddy-Do-Little hesitated while he 
said, 


“It will put me in a rage, 

To have to make a parrot cage.” 

The Parrot thought it was time to 
take a hand in this business, so he said, 

“I cannot stay, ’tis time to fly, 

So I call goodbye, goodbye.” 




DADDY-DO-LITTLE’S HOUSE 17 



The Goat Made a Bow 


Daddy-Do-Little really wanted them 
to come in all the time, so he said, 

“The Parrot comes with noisy din, 

Open the door, come in, come in.” 








18 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Daddy-Do-Little opened the door 
himself and soon they were all safely 
seated in his cunning little work-shop. 

He had a tall perch in his work shop 
and that pleased the Parrot who flew 
up on it at once. 

Curly-Tail said, 

“Daddy, before we turn the page, 

Let me buy wire for his cage.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“When I read, it seems like ages, 

Before I ever turn the pages.” 

Then he tried to count out some mon¬ 
ey from his money box, so Curly-Tail 
could go and buy wire for the Parrot’s 
cage, but he declared, 

“Money goes and money comes, 

But my fingers are all thumbs!” 




DADDY-DO-LITTLE’S HOUSE 


19 


Curly-Tail could not count either, 
and Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“To school we all will have to go, 

Counting and other things to know.” 

The Parrot said, 

“Begin with one, just for fun, 

When you count, then you’re half done.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, “Who is doing 
this counting I’d like to know?” 

Curly-Tail suggested that he take 
the whole money-box to the store and 
let the clerk take out money for the 
wire. 

This he did, and soon went down to 
the store and back with wire for the 
Parrot’s cage. 

The Parrot shouted excitedly, 
“Don’t forget the door. Don’t forget 




20 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


the swing, don’t forget the place for 
food and drink.” 

Daddy-Do-Little got excited too, and 
shouted, 

‘Td rather be lazy as can be 
Than have a parrot for company. ,, 

They all laughed at that, for Daddy- 
Do-Little was not noted for being an 
active worker, and perhaps that is the 
way he got his name. 

By and by the cage was done. 

It had a neat handle upon it. 

The Parrot jumped into it and said, 

“I’ll do a kindness for you some day, 
Daddy-Do-Little, good day, good day.” 

Curly-Tail took the handle of the 
cage in his mouth or put the cage on 
his back, or the cage floated along over 





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22 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


his head, I can’t quite remember which, 
and they went merrily homeward. 

Daddy-Do-Little shouted after them. 

“If you would learn to count by rule, 

You had better start this year to school.” 

Curly-Tail sang, 

“In September school bells ring, 

We’ll go to school in fall or spring.” 

The Parrot cried, 

“Go to bed, sleepy head, 

Enough said, enough said.” 

Curly-Tail curled up on the mat by 
the fire and went to sleep. 

He dreamed all night long he heard 
school bells ringing. 





They Went Merrily Homeward 


LITTLE NO-NAME 

Ding, dong, ding, dong, 

Ring bells in October, 

Ding, dong, ding, dong, 

Our vacation is over. 

Next day Curly-Tail said, “I must 
hurry, hurry, hurry, or I will be late to 
school. Will you go with me, Polly?” 










24 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


The Parrot replied, 

“Open my cage and I’ll keep house, 

HI be alone and still as a mouse.” 

Curly-Tail let the Parrot out of the 
cage, picked up his little dinner-pail 
and ran to school, while the school bells 
were ringing “ding, dong, ding, dong.” 

The Parrot said in a whisper, 

“Were my wings not stronger, 

My stay here’d be longer.” 

He flew away, and away, and away. 

As he passed Daddy-Do-Little’s 
house he heard the old fellow saying, 

“I’m Daddy-Do-Little, it’s no fair, 

To live alone, with none to care.” 

The Parrot pricked up her ears and 
called, “Hello.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, 




LITTLE-NO-NAME 


25 


“I see a Parrot bright and gay, 

Did I ask for visitors today?” 

Then the funniest thing happened. 

The Parrot who wouldn’t tell his 
name jumped right on the arm of 
Daddy-Do-Little’s chair, and began to 
sing “Rock-a-bye-baby on the tree- 
top.” 

He sang the song over and over, and 
before you could wink an eye lash 
Daddy-Do-Little was fast asleep. 

The Parrot made a fire in the old run 
down, tumble down kitchen stove, and 
got a fine dinner, and when Daddy-Do- 
Little woke up he was so glad of com¬ 
pany, he said, 

“If you’d like a golden cage, 

You’ll find one if you turn the page.” 




26 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


The Parrot cocked his head on one 
side and said, 

“What o’clock? Go to bed, 

Enough said, enough said.” 

Daddy-Do-Little replied, 

“To some it may seem quite absurd, 

But I think you the rarest bird.” 

Daddy-Do-Little tried to coax the 
Parrot to tell his name but he would 
only laugh, “Ha, ha, ha,” and soon they 
were both laughing merrily. 

Daddy-Do-Little went to his Toy 
Shop and got the golden cage and the 
Parrot jumped inside and began to en¬ 
joy his swing, swinging to and fro, to 
and fro. 

The Parrot hung from the swing head 
downward. He walked about pigeon- 





+ 






























The Parrot Sang 


“Rock-a-Bye Baby ,f 































































28 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


toed. He laughed and sang and did all 
the tricks he knew, but never once 
would he tell his name. 

At exactly four o’clock, not a minute 
before, or a minute after, Curly-Tail 
came dancing along and cried, 
“Daddy-Do-Little, have you seen 
Polly?” 


“I’m very sad and rarely jolly, 

When you try to call me Polly,” 

shouted the Parrot in one breath. 

Daddy-Do-Little laughed and Curly- 
Tail laughed, and his funny little tail 
curled tighter and tighter. 

Daddy-Do-Little rarely did any¬ 
thing he could help doing, and he had 
never been to school much when he 
was young, and when he went he did 




LITTLE-NO-NAME 


29 


as little as he could, so now in his old 
age he was trying to learn a few things. 
He said, 

“Curly-Tail, now as a rule, 

You learn some lessons in your school.” 

Curly-Tail bowed politely and said, 

“As I went back and forth again, 

I learned to count to number ten.” 

Daddy-Do-Little put on his enor¬ 
mous amber-rimmed spectacles and 
said, One-four-two. 

“It will never do, it will never do.” 

shouted the Parrot in his shrill voice. 
“One, four, three, one seven, six, two,” 
Said Curly-Tail, “I am counting too.” 
Daddy-Do-Little got out his oldcorn- 
cob pipe and soon they were all count- 




30 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


ing as fast as they could, while he 
smoked until a wreath of smoke went 
up to the ceiling. 

They had a good time until Curly- 
Tail said to the Parrot, 

“You know we’re very glad you came, 

But please do tell us your right name.” 

The Parrot answered in a jolly way, 

“This statement I learned out of school, 

We must look for an April Fool.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, “If you will 
stay here all night, both of you, you can 
start to school tomorrow.” 

The Parrot did not say whether he 
would go to school or not tomorrow. 
He just pretended to fall asleep. 

Curly-Tail danced about and his lit¬ 
tle tail curled up tighter and tighter. 





Counting as Fast as They Could 





















































32 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


He counted to ten and counted back¬ 
ward. 

The Parrot began to talk in his sleep. 
He said “Little No-Name is tired, 
Little No-Name is tired.” 

Curly-Tail said, 

“Little No-Name is queer without doubt. 

Whom can the Parrot be talking about?” 

Daddy-Do-Little managed to wake 
the parrot up and said, 

“It is October, as I remember, 

Tell us your name before December.” 

The Parrot would only say, “Little 
No-Name is tired.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, “It’s not half 
as bad to be tired as lonesome, be still, 
please, I want to hear Curly-Tail talk 
a while.” 




LITTLE-NO-NAME 


33 


Curly-Tail said, “There is so much 
to learn in school in the fall. All the 
leaves are turning red, the birds are 
flying southward. We must not let Jack 
Frost nip our ears and toes.” 

“Little No-Name is tired” com¬ 
mented the Parrot. 

Daddy-Do-Little smoked harder and 
harder and shouted, 

“Will you be still? I’ll cover the cage, 

You make a noise for one of your age.” 

No sooner said, than done, 

Daddy-Do-Little took a big shawl 
and covered the Parrot’s cage. 

Curly-Tail danced round and round, 
and all the time his tail curled tighter 
and tighter, and he danced up the 
staircase to bed. 




34 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Daddy-Do-Little went stumbling up 
stairs saying, 

“Mr. Parrot, it is a shame, 

That you will not tell your name.” 

The Parrot would only say, “Little 
No-Name is tired.” 

When Daddy-Do-Little got to bed, 
he heard the patter, patter, patter of 
little feet. 

Curly-Tail came pattering down the 
hall with his lighted candle. He whis¬ 
pered in Daddy-Do-Little’s good ear 
“Suppose the Parrot’s name should be 
‘Little No-Name?’ Suppose he is trying 
to tell his name all the time?” 

They went down stairs and Curly- 
Tail danced before the Parrot’s cage 
and Daddy-Do-Little took the shawl 
from the cage. 











!r p 7 '" 




\ X_ 



" 

j 

/ 

* 




: V > 




Daddy-Do-Little Covered the Parrot’s Cage 


\ 






f 


























































































































































































































36 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


They said in one breath, 

“To keep us waiting is just a shame, 

Are you really Little No-Name?” 

The Parrot only winked his sleepy 
eyes and said, 

“Go to bed, sleepy head, 

Enough said, enough said.” 

After that they often called the 
Parrot, “Little No-Name,” though they 
did not know whether that was his real 
name or not. 








We Must Hurry! Hurry! 


CURLY TAIL GOES TO 
SCHOOL 

Daddy-Do-Little so funny, 

Cannot even count his money, 

He is lonesome as you see, 

So we’ll keep him company. 

Daddy-Do-Little woke up early next 
morning and said, 

“Here I lie as still as a mouse, 

Some one else is up in the house.” 






38 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Curly-Tail danced into the room and 
said, 

“As surely as school bells are ringing, 

I can hear that Parrot singing.” 

They listened, and sure enough, the 
Parrot was singing “Rock-a-bye Baby 
on the tree-top.” 

Daddy-Do-Little shouted, 

“You sing before seven, 

You’ll cry before eleven.” 

The Parrot chattered very fast then 
in Parrot language and Curly-Tail said, 
“Dear me, I must hurry, hurry, hurry, 
or I will be late to school. 
Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“I would like to go with you, 

Though I do little, that is true.” 





Curly Tail with His Lighted Candle 






































































40 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


The Parrot said, 

“To school, to school we all will go, 
Things to learn and things to know.” 

Daddy-Do-Little looked over his 
enormous amber rimmed spectacles, 
and said, “Do you know, Sir, I seldom 
went to school in all my life, and I can 
count pretty well for an old fellow, 

“Two, six, seventeen, five, 

I am glad to be alive.” 

Curly-Tail knew that Daddy-Do- 
Little was counting wrong, but he was 
too polite to laugh. He stuffed his 
little paw into his mouth to keep silent, 
but the Parrot said, 

“Your counting sounds a little FUNNY, 
Daddy, where do you keep your money?” 




CURLY-TAIL GOES TO SCHOOL 


41 


Daddy-Do-Little looked very fierce 
and said, “Who told you about my 
money? Who told you about my count¬ 
ing?” 

They all went to eat their breakfast. 

The Parrot said, 

“I’ll go to school and read a page, 

If you will put me in a cage?” 

“Too much talking, too much noise, 
will no one help me find my money¬ 
box?” shouted Daddy-Do-Little. 

He looked up stairs and he looked 
down stairs and he could not find his 
money box. 

Curly-Tail said, “Look in the Toy 
Shop.” 

They looked, and there sure enough, 
was the money box safe and sound. 






42 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


The Parrot jumped into his cage 
shouting, 


“Close the door, I’ll go to school, 
I will try to keep each rule.” 


Daddy-Do-Little said, as he shut the 
door of the cage, 

“We don’t know your name or age, 

But we’ve got you in a cage.” 

Curly-Tail said, “Please come to 
school with us Daddy.” 

Daddy-Do-Little shook his old head. 
He did not go to school that day or the 
next or the next, but one bright October 
morning he said, 

“I will go to school today, 

It’s more fun than a holiday.” 







WWMv\\v\v. 




Curly Tail Danced into the Room 































































































44 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


What a time old Daddy-Do-Little 
had, trying to get ready to go to school. 

He could not find his new boots. 

He could not find his high collar. 

He could not find his corn-cob pipe. 

The bell rang for school and Curly- 
Tail danced about saying, “We will be 
late, we will be late.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“Whether the day is hot or cool, 

I really like to go to school.” 

The Parrot sat in his cage, crying, 
“Good bye, good bye.” It only made 
Daddy hurry faster. 

At last they were ready and started 
merrily to school. 

Daddy-Do-Little carried the Parrot’s 
cage. 




CURLY TAIL GOES TO SCHOOL 45 


Suddenly he stopped stock-still in 
the road. 

“What is the matter now?” asked 
Curly-T ail. 

Daddy said, 

“My fur and whiskers, in this old town, 

The rain is surely falling down.” 

Sure enough the rain began to fall, 
“patter, patter, patter.” 

They got a little wet but soon arrived 
at school. 

The teacher was so pleased to see 
Daddy-Do-Little that she gave him a 
rocking chair by the window and set 
the Parrot in the cage on the window¬ 
sill. 

All the animals were learning their 
A, B, C’s. 




46JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


“Where does ‘Z’ come, I don’t see, 

I’m just as stupid as can be.” 

Shouted Daddy-Do-Little to the sur¬ 
prise of all. 

The teacher said, 

“Try to be patient whatever you do, 

We’ll come to ‘Z’ in a minute or two.” 

However, they did not come to “Z” 
that day or the next or the next. 

They all began to read a story about 
Mexico, and the Parrot shouted so 
loudly that no one could hear. 

He beat his wings against the cage 
and called, “Good bye, good bye, take 
me home, take me home.” 

The teacher dismissed school very 
soon. 

All this time the rain was falling. 





■ 








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■’WiOr^J 


pair 






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•' ■" ..,*•• •■•••" 


irnisg 


_ 


Got a Little Wet 

























48 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


The four and twenty scholars got to 
the door and said, “We forgot our four 
and twenty umbrellas, Oh dear.” 

Then Daddy-Do-Little blew three 
times a puff from his old corn-cob pipe 
and made a magic rug and invited the 
four and twenty scholars to ride home 
with them. 

They stopped four and twenty times 
to let the scholars out before they 
stopped at Daddy-Do-Little’s house in 
the woods. 

All this time the Parrot kept calling, 
“Take me home.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“Such a noise I never knew, Sir, 

Really it will never do, Sir.” 


Then the Parrot said, 




CURLY TAIL GOES TO SCHOOL 49 


“The school made me homesick you know, 
For my own home in Mexico.” 

Then Daddy-Do-Little opened the 
cage door and said, 

“Come into my workshop if you please, 
And we will make some ‘A, B, C’s.’ ” 



“And the Parrot Fell Asleep Too” 


They all went into the shop where 
the toys were made. 

Daddy-Do-Little painted some “A, 
B, C’s”on blocks, and Curly-Tail fell 
asleep, and the Parrot fell asleep too. 











50 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“The alphabet I can begin, 

But wonder where does ‘Z’ come in?” 

He nodded his head to and fro and 
soon fell asleep in his work-shop. 









Whisk Bound! He Was Away This Time 


THE CLOCK FAIRY 

Light and airy, light and airy 
Have you seen the clock’s wee fairy? 
Watch the hands upon her face, 

As they try to run a race. 


One day Curly-Tail danced down 
stairs very quietly so he would not 
wake Daddy-Do-Little. 


52 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Daddy-Do-Little got up quietly and 
went down stairs one step at a time so 
he would not wake Curly-Tail. 

He said, fiercely, 

“I’m a healthy fellow and never sick, 

But some one has played on me a trick.” 


Curly-Tail tip-toed into the room to 
see what was the matter. 

The door of the Parrot’s cage was 
open, and he was nowhere to be seen. 
Curly-Tail said, 

“He may be back in an hour or so, 

He may have travelled to Mexico.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“He’s gone away ’tis very clear, 

And left old Daddy lonesome here.” 




THE CLOCK FAIRY 53 



They Hurried Down the Path 


Curly-Tail was determined to find 
the Parrot. 

He said, 

“I’ll run down the path as still as a mouse, 
Perhaps he is in my little wee house.” 












54 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Daddy-Do-Little got out his old 
corn-cob pipe and began to smoke say¬ 
ing, 

“I’m old and cross and rather blue, 

But I will walk along with you.” 

So, saying they hurried down the 
path that led to Curly-Tail’s little wee 
house at the edge of the woods. 

They could not find the Parrot. 

Curly-Tail said, 

“I don’t like to see your sorrow, 

I’ll try to bring him back to-morrow.” 

He put on his red coat and cap and 
started down the path singing merrily, 

“Curly-Tail in song and rhyme, 
Always has a jolly time.” 

He had only gotten as far at the gate, 
when Daddy-Do-Little called, “Come 




THE CLOCK FAIRY 


55 


back, come back, come back, you have 
forgotten your lunch.” 

Sure enough Curly-Tail had forgot¬ 
ten his lunch and Daddy-Do-Little was 
in such a hurry to call him back that he 
forgot to talk in rhyme. 

Curly-Tail came back and got cook¬ 
ies out of the cookie jar and tied them 
up in his little red pocket handkerchief 
and started off as before. 

He shut the door with a “click” and 
started to run down the path when 
Daddy-Do-Little called, “Come back, 
come back, come back, you have for¬ 
gotten your overshoes, and what if it 
should rain?” 

Curly-Tail laughed, for he hardly 
ever wore overshoes but he came back 
to please Daddy-Do-Little. 




56 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


He put on his little overshoes, though 
by this time the sun was shining, and 
Daddy-Do-Little called, 

“Don’t forget to come back soon, 

I’ll wait for you ’till afternoon.” 

Curly-Tail thought he was safely off 
this time, but Daddy-Do-Little called, 

“What if rain falls and the cold wind blows? 

You’ll get wet from your head to your little 
toes.” 

Curly-Tail came back good natured- 
ly, with a hop and a skip and a bound. 

He picked up his little umbrella, 
and whisk! bound! he was away this 
time before the old fellow could stop 
him. 

Daddy-Do-Little looked at the hall 
clock and said, 




THE CLOCK FAIRY 


57 


“It is late as like as not, 

But I cannot read this clock.” 

Daddy-Do-Little did not know how 
to tell time. 

Just then the clock began to strike 
and Daddy-Do-Little tried to count the 
strokes, but he could not remember 
whether seven came before, or after 
five, and so he got all mixed up and 
could not tell the time. 

He shook his fist at the clock and 
said, 

“You may think it very funny, 

To tell time I’d give some money.” 

Then the most wonderful thing hap¬ 
pened. 

The door of the clock opened and out 
came the Clock Fairy with a happy 
smiling face. 




58 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


She said, 

“Daddy-Do-Little how do you do, Sir? 

Do you want to tell time too, Sir?” 

Daddy-Do-Little was so surprised 
he looked over his enormous amber 
rimmed spectacles and said, 

“By my whiskers, don’t get too near, 
You’re the Clock Fairy that is clear.” 

“Ha, ha, ha,” laughed the Clock 
Fairy, “Look at my hands, one is longer 
than the other, Ha, ha, ha, look at the 
numbers all over my face.” 

“I point to the hour, with my short hand, 
Daddy-Do-Little can you understand?” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, “Yes, yes, 

55 

yes. 





Daddy-Do-Little Was So Surprised 





























































































































































































60 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


The Clock Fairy continued, “I point 
to the minutes with my long hand, and 
my hands run a race all day, all night 
round and round and round.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, “Yes, yes, 
yes.” 

The Clock Fairy said, 

“I’ll tell you a secret about each hour, 

I’ll tell you the best that’s in my power.” 

She said, “Whenever I want to tell the 
hour my long hand points to twelve.” 

She continued talking in this way, 
and can you believe it, in less time than 
it takes to tell i it, Daddy-Do-Little 
learned to tell the time, and he was de¬ 
lighted you may be sure. 

The Fairy said, “When I get tired 
telling time I take a rest, then some one 
comes and winds me up again, 




THE CLOCK FAIRY 


61 


“You often hear me in the clock, 

Singing, softly, “tick, tick, tock.” 

As the Fairy sang the last few words 
she sprang back into the clock, “click” 
went the door and all was still except 
“tick, tock.” 

Daddy-Do-Little put his ear close to 
the clock, all was still inside. 

He opened the door of the clock and 
found a key and wound it up. 

The Clock Fairy began to sing, 

“You’re just as wise as you can be, 

Thank you for using the little key.” 

Daddy-Do-Little was used to doing 
so little that he was tired now, and fell 
asleep. 

He dreamed that he was making 
clocks in his work-shop. 




62 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


All this time Curly-Tail was going 
merrily down the road and he asked 
every one he met if they had seen a 
Parrot. 

Every one answered, 

“Shout again a little stronger, 

So the story will be longer.” 

He understood that no one had seen 
the Parrot, so he went on his way sing¬ 
ing as before, 

“Curly-Tail in song and rhyme 
Always has a jolly time. 






Can You Tell Us the Way Home? 


FIFTEEN LITTLE CURLY TAILS 

The Fifteen Little Curly-Tails 
On a picnic go, 

Swinging little dinner-pails, 

They cry, “Ho, ho, ho.” 







64 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Little Curly-Tail went with a hop and 
a skip and a bound until he came to the 
home of the Fifteen Little Curly Tails. 

They were hanging up a big washing 
on the line, and they said to Little 
Curly-Tail, “Hurry, hurry, hurry, help 
us hang the washing on the line.” 

Curly-Tail helped hang up the hand¬ 
kerchiefs and towels and said, “Why 
are you all in such a hurry?” 

The Fifteen Little Curly-Tails did not 
have time to answer, all they could cry 
was, “Hurry, hurry, hurry.” 

Little Curly-Tail ran to and fro with 
clothes pins, and the Fifteen Little 
Curly-Tails soon had all their washing 
on the line. 

Then they said, “Mother Curly-Tail 




FIFTEEN LITTLE CURLY TAILS 65 


said we could go on a picnic if we got 
the washing hung up by ten o’clock.” 

Just at that very minute the clock 
struck. 

The Fifteen Little Curly-Tails held 
their breath till they counted ten. 

Curly-Tail said, “As I came just in 
time to help you, may I go on the picnic 
too?” 

Mother Curly-Tail poked her head 
out the window and said, “Your dinner 
pails are ready and you may start on 
the picnic.” 

Curly-Tail danced until his little tail 
curled up tighter and tighter, and he 
said, “1 don’t need any dinner pail my 
cookies are tied up in a handkerchief.” 

Mother Curly-Tail said, 




66 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


“How did you happen along 
Singing a merry little song?” 

Curly-Tail said, “I am looking for a 
Parrot” 

Mother Curly-Tail said “Was he a 
real live Parrot with green and red 
feathers? Did he cock his head on one 
side? Did he sing “Rock-A-Bye 
Baby?” 

“Yes, yes, yes, ” shouted Curly-Tail. 

Mother Curly-Tail continued, “Did 
he say no one must call him Polly?” 

Yes, yes, yes,” shouted Curly-Tail. 

“Did he say, 

‘Go to bed, sleepy head, 

Enough said, enough said.’ ” 

“Yes, yes, yes. Where did you see 
him?” cried Curly-Tail eagerly. 




FIFTEEN LITTLE CURLY TAILS 67 


“I read about him in the animal 
newspaper, enough said,” replied 
Mother Curly-Tail. 

The Fifteen Little Curly-Tails picked 
up their fifteen little dinner pails and 
started with Curly-Tail down the road 
toward the deep woods for a picnic. 

They had a fine picnic in the woods 
and all would have gone well in the 
woods I am sure, if they had not taken 
the wrong path homeward. 

Instead of getting nearer home as it 
grew darker and darker they went 
deeper and deeper into the deep 
woods. 

The Fifteen Little Curly-Tails began 
to weep and wail, u We are lost in the 
deep, deep woods.” 

They sat on a log to rest side by side. 

Curly-Tail did not cry, he said 




68 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


“Come follow your nose, when the north wind 
blows 

It will lead you somewhere as every one 
knows.” 

They all said, “Do you know the way, 
oh can you tell us the way home.” 

I don’t know what would have hap¬ 
pened next if they had not seen a light 
ahead. 

The light was coming nearer and 
nearer every minute. 

They heard the “patter, patter, pat¬ 
ter” of footsteps and some one called, 

“I’ll keep on searching without fail, 

Till I find Little Curly-Tail.” 

“Here I am, Daddy-Do-Little,” cried 
Curly-Tail. 

“Here we all are,” cried the Fifteen 
Little Curly-Tails. 





The Home of the Fifteen Little Curly Tails 




































































70 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Daddy-Do-Little was so surprised he 
set down his rusty, musty old lantern 
and cried, 

“I’m very old and rather wise, 

But you all take me by surprise.” 

They all had a great time hugging 
and kissing you may be sure. 

On the way home Daddy-Do-Little 
asked the Fifteen Little Curly-Tails if 
they liked school. They said they 
liked better to play in the woods. 

Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“I have learned my A. B. C’s 
But I cannot get to Z’s.” 

The Fifteen Little Curly-Tails set 
down their fifteen little dinner pails and 
began to recite the alphabet so fast it 
made Daddy-Do-Little’s head swim. 




FIFTEEN LITTLE CURLY TAILS 71 


He said after them, 

“A, B, C, and X, Y, Z, 

The letters really puzzle me.” 

When the Fifteen Little Curly-Tails 
got home they waved their fifteen little 
pocket handkerchiefs and called 
‘“Good bye, good bye.” 

Daddy-Do-Little put Curly-Tail in 
his pocket and carried him home the 
rest of the way. 

He told him about the Clock Fairy 
and said he wanted to go to school and 
learn many things. 

Just then the clock began to strike. 

It struck twelve for it was midnight. 

The Clock Fairy came out and made 
a bow and said, 




72 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


“Twelve o’clock, go to bed, 

Or you’ll wake a sleepy-head.” 

Curly-Tail cried, “Oh, on, oh what a 
beautiful Fairy.” 

Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“The long hand tells the minutes, 

The short hand tells the hour, 

’Tis twelve o’clock without a doubt 
Sweet Fairy in your bower.” 

The Fairy made a low bow and 
jumped back in the clock. The pen¬ 
dulum swung to and fro, to and fro. 

Daddy-Do-Little, said, “Come into 
my work-shop and you will see I am 
making a little clock for Curly-Tail.” 

Curly-Tail was pleased to see his lit¬ 
tle clock you may be sure, and he said, 
“I wonder if every clock has a Fairy 
inside.” 





They All Had a Great Time 





















74 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


Daddy-Do-Little said, 

“In story-books you turn the page, 

To find a Parrot in a cage.” 

Curly-Tail laughed and said, “I will 
go and find the Parrot tomorrow.” 

Daddy-Do-Little puffed away at his 
corn-cob pipe and said, 


“Oh Curly-Tail no, no, no, 

To school we all will have to go.” 

Curly-Tail thought it funny that the 
old fellow liked to go to school, and he 
laughed until the tears ran down his 
cheeks. 

He said, “The Fairy is teaching you 
time at home. Why do you want to go 
to school?” 




FIFTEEN LITTLE CURLY TAILS 75 


Daddy-Do-Little replied, 

“I’m old, but ’tis not against the rule, 

For folks like me to go to school.” 

Curly-Tail laughed again and went 
skippety, hoppety up to bed. 

Daddy-Do-Little dreamed that he 
was in school and had to wear a Dunce 
Cap because he was so slow to tell the 
time. 

Curly-Tail dreamed that he was 
dancing about the woods looking for 
their friend the Parrot. 

The Parrot was so near at that very 
minute he could have peeped in at the 
window of the little wee house in the 
woods. 

He sang himself to sleep with a 
sleepy song, 




76 JOLLY POLLY AND CURLY TAIL 


“All the animals are jolly, 

But I’ll not let them call me Polly, 
Wherever I go I will not fail, 

To come back to Little Curly-Tail.” 

That sleepy song sounded as though 
Curly-Tail would not have to look for 
the Parrot much longer. 





















Book Three 

Tale of Curly Tail 










Daddy Do-Little Shook His Japanese Parasol 
















THE TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 



A VISIT TO MRS. SANTA CLAUS 

Daddy Do-Little it is true, 

Wears a coat red, white, and blue, 

He’s happier than I can tell, 

The new coat fits him very well! 

One December day, Curly-Tail, the 
dearest little dog in the world, jumped 
upon his Rocking Horse and rocked 
away, away, away. 


10 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


He said, “I will go to Santa Claus’ 
work-shop, perhaps I will find our old 
Parrot.” 

He rocked away all day, and when 
night came he found a little cave in the 
woods. He went in and curled up and 
fell asleep. 

Next day he woke up early and cried, 

“I’ve lost the right path, without fail. 

This is a joke on Curly-Tail!” 

He rocked away, away, away, again, 
and soon he said, “Some one is coming 
down the path, I hear the patter, 
patter of little feet.” 

Then he set up a shout, for who 
should be coming to meet him but the 
Fourteen Little Darling Dogs? 




A VISIT TO MRS. SANTA CLAUS 


11 


They all set up a shout, crying, 

“Ha, ha, ha, the lost is found, 

Rocking, rocking o’er the ground.” 

Curly-Tail got down from the Rock¬ 
ing Horse and said, “I am going to 
Santa Claus’ work-shop and this 
Rocking Horse knows the way, who 
will go with me?” 

“I will, I will, I will,” cried the Four¬ 
teen Little Darling Dogs in one breath, 
so Curly-Tail got on the Rocking 
Horse and rocked away, away, away, 
and the Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
ran on behind. 

“I see a light ahead,” shouted the 
first Little Darling Dog. “I see a 
light,” shouted the next, and the next. 




12 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


They came to a little wee house in the 
woods. 

Curly-Tail without waiting for an 
invitation rocked right in the open 
door, crying, “Hurrah for Mrs. Santa 
Claus! Here we are, the whole Curly- 
Tail family!” 

Mrs. Santa Claus was so surprised 
she cried, 

“Ha, ha, ha, ha, by my frilled cap, 

I surely must be taking a nap!” 

She tried to count the Little Darling 
Dogs, but they danced about her so 
fast, she never knew which ones she 
counted twice, and which ones she 
never counted at all! 








Hurrah for Mrs. Santa Claus 


13 






































































14 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Curly-Tail begged, “Please let us go 
into Santa Claus work-shop!” 

Mrs. Santa Claus said, 

“This thing I will tell you true, 

Such an idea will not do.” 

She said Santa Claus was not at 
home, and she never let any one go in 
his work-shop. 

Then the first Little Darling Dog sat 
down on the floor and began to 
grumble, and the next Little Darling 
Dog began to weep, and the next Little 
Darling Dog got a scowly face, and 
such a noise you never heard. 


Only Curly-Tail kept good natured. 




A VISIT TO MRS. SANTA CLAUS 


15 


He rocked gently to and fro on his 
wonderful Rocking Horse and said, 
“You make as much noise as Daddy 
Do-Little when he is lonesome.” 

Mrs. Santa Glaus said, “Who is 
Daddy Do-Little?” 

Curly-Tail replied. 

“He’s the laziest animal in the woods, 

He always did little if he could.” 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs, 
said, 

“If you could only hear him grumbling, 
You would think ’twas thunder rumb¬ 
ling.” 

Mrs. Santa Claus said, “If the old 
fellow had a new coat, perhaps he 




16 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


would not be so lazy or grumble so 
much. Here is my work basket, and 
some cloth, go to work if you please.” 

Mrs. Santa Claus opened a slide in 
the wall and disappeared! 

“Ha, ha, ha,” cried the Fourteen 
Little Darling Dogs. 

Curly-Tail cried, “Hurrah! hurrah, 
we will make Daddy Do-Little a new 
coat out of this cloth.” 

My, how busy they were! 

One Little Darling Dog got a tape 
measure and measured the cloth. 

One Little Darling Dog got a pair 
of scissors and went, “snip, snip, snip.” 




A VISIT TO MRS. SANTA CLAUS 


17 


One Little Darling Dog began to 
unwind a spool of thread, and the 
other Little Darling Dogs sat around 
in groups threading needles! 

Curly-Tail skipped about giving di¬ 
rections. 

Soon they were all sewing on Daddy 
Do-Little’s new coat! 

“Oh, oh, oh,” cried the Little 
Darling Dogs, as they pricked them¬ 
selves on the needles. 

Curly-Tail cried, 

“Cheer up, cheer up, we’re nearly through 
We’ll make a coat that just fits you.” 

Then the Fourteen Little Darling 
Dogs began to sing a song and their 
needles flew faster and faster. 




18 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


They would interrupt one another 
by shouting, “Who has the thimble? 
Who has the thread? Where is my 
needle?” and still the song sounded 
beautifully. 

Curly-Tail cried, 

“Where will we get buttons do you suppose 
To finish up this animal’s clothes?” 

Then they heard thump, bump, 
down the chimney fell six little brass 
buttons. 

They sewed the brass buttons on the 
coat, and soon it was finished. 

Then a voice cried, 

“Come into the chimney, ’tis large and wide, 
There’s room for the Curly-Tails side by 
side.” 




A VISIT TO MRS. SANTA CLAUS 


19 


They looked toward the chimney. 

There, sure enough were little seats, 
and little tables. On each table was 
a plate with a pie smoking hot. 

How they all enjoyed their lunch! 

They cried out, 

“We are happy now because, 

Of mince pie, Mrs. Santa Claus!” 

Mrs. Santa Glaus opened the panel 
in the wall and went back into the 
house. She asked to see the coat, 
which they had tied up in a neat 
bundle. 

The first Little Darling Dog began 
to untie the string which held the 
bundle, and the bundle hopped about 
in the strangest way. 




20 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Then the next Little Darling Dog 
said, “Let me untie it,” and the next 
one said, “I will untie it in a minute.” 

At that very moment there, before 
their very noses, the bundle jumped 
out of the window and was gone! 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
thought their work was all lost and 
they began to weep and wail, but 
Curly-Tail said, 

“Cheer up, cheer up, for by the by, 

We had the nicest kind of pie!” 

So, the Fourteen Little Darling 
Dogs all dried their eyes and went to 
the door. 

Curly-Tail jumped on his Rocking 
Horse. 




A VISIT TO MRS. SANTA CLAUS 21 



The Bundle Flew Out of the Open Window 


The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
rubbed their eyes for they saw fourteen 
Rocking Horses standing in a row. 

They shouted, 

“We are so happy now because, 

We have a present from Santa Claus. 












22 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Curly-Tail said, 

“I hope each horse is trusty and good, 

We’ll rock away through the deep green 
wood.” 

When they came to Daddy Do- 
Little’s house in the woods they all 
set up a shout, for there he stood in the 
doorway with his new coat on! 

He was happy you may be sure, and 
they all rocked round him on their 
wonderful Rocking Horses. 





A HAPPY NEW YEAR 

In January as you know, 

We always make some men of snow, 

And if you study well each page, 

You’ll find the Parrot in his cage. 

Little Curly-Tail called out one 
morning, 

“A Happy New Year, A Happy New Year, 
And January at last is here.” 


Curly-Tail curled his little tail up 
tighter and tighter, as he ran down 
stairs three steps at a time, and he set 

23 


24 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


the table and got breakfast, before 
Daddy Do-Little had a chance to 
answer him. 

Curly-Tail kept humming over and 
over, “A Happy New Year, A Happy 
New Year.” 

“Hush, what is that? 

A-rap, a-tap,” 

cried out Daddy Do-Little, suddenly. 

Sure enough, there was a “rap, tap, 
tapping,” at the door, but when they 
got to the door, no one was there. 

“Hard lines for one of any age, 

To lose a parrot in a cage.” 

said Daddy Do-Little. 





































































26 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Just then, they heard a “rap, tap, 
tapping,” on the window pane. 

They ran quickly of course to the 
window but could see no one. 

They sat down to breakfast and 
Daddy Do-Little said, “More sugar, 
please.” 

A voice spoke up, “More sugar, 
please.” 

Curly-Tail said, 

“It must be the Parrot, I’ll leave the table 
And find him soon as I am able.” 

He looked about in-doors and out¬ 
doors and still he could see no one, 

Now Daddy Do-Little was a famous 
old cook, and he felt like cooking that 
morning, but he called, 




A HAPPY NEW YEAR 


27 


“We are out of sugar, how do you suppose 
I can make ginger-snaps, goodness knows.” 

At that, Curly-Tail got out his little 
red cap and cape and market basket, 
and said, “I will go to the grocers and 
get the sugar.” 

“Get the sugar,” repeated a familiar 
voice, and Daddy Do-Little said, 


“The Parrot is hiding, ’tis very true 
We’ll find him now, whatever we do.” 

They searched one hour and sixteen 
minutes but could not find the Parrot. 

Little Curly-Tail went out of the 
house, “click,” went the gate and he 
started down the road. 




28 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Daddy Do-Little came to the door 
waving his red pocket handkerchief 
frantically, and shouted, 

“A handkerchief for your little nose, 

You had better carry I suppose.” 

Sure enough, Curly-Tail did have a 
cold, and so he came back good 
naturedly, and got the handkerchief 
and started again to the grocers after 
the sugar. 

This time he did not even get as far 
as the garden gate when Daddy Do- 
Little rapped on the window, crying, 

“It seems to me it’s rather funny, 

To go for sugar without money.” 





29 

































30 


A HAPPY NEW YEAR 


Curly-Tail laughed and came back 
with a hop and a skip and a bound. 

Will you believe it? It took Daddy 
Do-Little three quarters of an hour 
to find his rusty-hinged old pocket 
book, and when he found it, it only 
had twenty-five cents in it. 

Then they looked in the old cracker 
jar and found sixteen hundred pennies! 

“Pennies will do, pennies will do,” 
called a merry voice, but they could 
see no one. 

Curly-Tail started again. 

By this time it was snowing and 
blowing. 







“The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs Came Trooping Down the Road” 


31 





























32 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


“Click,” went the gate, he thought 
he was off in good earnest this time, 
but Daddy Do-Little cried again, 

“Will you ask for white, or brown, 

When you come into the town?” 

Then a very surprising thing hap¬ 
pened. 

A great shout was heard and the 
Fourteen Little Darling Dogs came 
trooping down the road. 

Daddy Do-Little was thoroughly 
and entirely cross at this unlooked for 
interruption, and he shouted, 

“Be it fairy tale or fable, 

To entertain them I’m not able.” 




A HAPPY NEW YEAR 


33 


Curly-Tail danced up to him and 
whispered, “Snowmen, let the Darling 
Dogs stay outside and make Snow¬ 
men.” 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
came on with a whoop and a bound, 
and Daddy Do-Little shouted, 

“Make some Snowmen on the ground, 
Make some Snowmen jolly and round.” 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
went to work with a will, and Curly- 
Tail started off saying, “I will really, 
truly get the sugar this time.” 

Just as he was nearly out of sight of 
the house, he heard a great shout, and 




34 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


the Fourteen Little Darling Dogs ran 
after him and brought him back. 

Daddy Do-Little said, 

“There are several kinds of sugar ’tis true, 
White, and brown, and red, and blue.” 

It took them all forty-seven minutes 
to decide what kind of sugar they 
wanted for their ginger snaps, and 
what kind of sugar to have on the 
frosting. 

All this time, the Fourteen Little 
Darling Dogs jumped up and down 
and said, “Oh Daddy Do-Little are 
you really going to make nice, moist 
ginger snaps? And can we all stay to 
lunch?” 





35 



































36 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


By and by Curly-Tail slipped off, 
and this time he went on safely to the 
grocery store. 

He got brown sugar to put in the 
ginger snaps and red sugar to put on 
for frosting. 

He went back home with a hop, and 
a skip, and a bound, and helped the 
Fourteen Little Darling Dogs make 
Snowmen, while Daddy Do-Little 
made the nice, moist ginger snaps. 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
were so cold they begged to come in 
and warm their paws, so by and by 
they all shook off the snow and crept 




A HAPPY NEW YEAR 


37 


quietly into the parlor and sat down 
in a semi-circle about the parlor stove, 
and warmed their paws. 

“A-kit-chew,” sneezed the First 
Little Darling Dog. 

“A-kit-chew,” sneezed the second. 

Just as Daddy Do-Little came to 
the door to scold, the Parrot came out 
from his hiding place under the sofa 
and said, 

“It really puts me in a rage, 

To spend my life inside this cage.” 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
crowded around and said, It must be 
a magic cage, see it move.’ 




38 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Curly-Tail said, “Where did you 
come from, Sir. I have looked for yo u 
over hill and dale.” 

“Poor old Polly,” said Daddy Do- 
Little. 

This put the Parrot in a rage at 
once and he shouted, 

“It is, Sir, the greatest folly, 

To give a man, the name of Polly!” 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
took out their fourteen little pocket 
handkerchiefs and laughed until they 
cried, waving their handkerchiefs in 
the air. 

The sun had come out so bright and 
warm the Snowmen began to melt. 




A HAPPY NEW YEAR 


39 


The Parrot cried, 

“If you’d take out a bucket of water or so 
It might freeze them up again you know.” 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
got fourteen little pails of water, and 
carried out water to pour on their 
Snowmen. 

Curly-Tail let the parrot out of his 
cage, and Daddy Do-Little finished 
his moist ginger snaps. 

The Fourteen Little Darling DDgs 
went happily homeward each with a 
moist ginger snap, with red sugar 
upon it. 

Late at night the Parrot called, 




40 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


“To tell my name I am afraid, 

Just listen to that serenade.” 

The Snowmen were singing in the 
moonlight, 

“Happy New Year you hear us call, 

A Happy New Year to one and all, 

From Mexico the Parrot came, 

And little PEDRO is his name.” 

“Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah,” cried 
Curly-Tail,” at last we know the Par¬ 
rot’s name,” they looked about, but 
the Parrot was nowhere to be seen! 






The Snowmen Were Singing in the Moonlight 


41 








TABLE MANNERS 

To learn some manners at the table, 

Every animal is able, 

To be polite, please do not fail, 

When entertained by Curly-Tail. 

One day Daddy Do-Little called out, 

“Somebody is late, it makes me pale, 

To receive no answer from Curly-Tail.” 

There was no answer sure enough. 

The old clock struck twelve, and one, 
and still Curly-Tail did not come 
home. 

Daddy Do-Little got out his new 
yellow and green walking stick, and 
started out to look for Curly-Tail. 


42 


TABLE MANNERS 


43 


Early that morning Curly-Tail had 
gone with a hop, and a skip, and a 
bound into Farmer Brown’s garden 
to get an apple to roast for dinner. 

“Click,” went a spring, and for the 
first time in his life Curly-Tail was 
caught in a trap! 

He said, “If I could only uncurl my 
tail, if I could only uncurl my tail I 
would feel happier.” 

His tail was caught in the trap. 

He was wondering what he would do 
when he heard the “patter, patter, 
patter,” of many little feet. 

Then a most delightful thing 
happened! 




44 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
were coming into Farmer Brown’s 
garden to get ripe, red, rosy apples to 
roast for dinner. 

They came with a hop, and a skip 
and a bound, and suddenly stopped, 
for they saw poor Curly-Tail caught 
in the trap. 

It took them one hour and fourteen 
minutes to find out how to open the 
trap, but at last the spring gave with a 
“click, click, click” and Curly-Tail was 
free once more. 

They all were so glad to set Curly- 
Tail free that they danced round and 
round in a circle, and they all forgot to 
get the ripe, red, rosy apples for dinner. 
























46 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
invited Curly-Tail to come to their 
home for dinner, which he gladly did. 

They all sat down at the table and 
the Darling Dogs made a great noise 
eating their food. 

Curly-Tail said, “If you will come to 
my little tent in the woods for supper, 
I will teach you some table manners.” 

Then he curled his funny little tail 
up tighter and tighter, and ran away 
to his own little tent in the woods. 

At exactly six o’clock the Fourteen 
Little Darling Dogs appeared at his 
tent. 




TABLE MANNERS 


47 


They cried, “Oh,” and “Ah” and 
“How very surprising.” 

There was a table in the tent with 
fifteen little chairs around it. 

On the table were plates, and knives, 
and forks, and spoons. 

There was a cup and saucer for each 
one. 

They all sat down at the table and 
began to talk at once, and drum with 
their silver spoons. 

Curly-Tail said, 

“It is not polite to make a noise, 

You act like careless girls and boys.” 

He gave each one of them a little 
red and white checked napkin. 




48 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


By this time they were so hungry and 
the food looked so good that they 
began to smack their lips. 

Curly-Tail said, 

“Eat with a spoon now if you please. 

Come, be polite and do not tease.” 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
took their fourteen little spoons and 
began to eat their broth. 

It was much too hot and burned 
their mouths and they began to weep 
and wail. 

Curly-Tail gave each one a sip of 
milk to cool their mouths, and at this 
very minute, some one rapped on a 
tree outside saying, 




TABLE MANNERS 


49 


“Beside this little tent I’ll stay 
Alas, alack, I’ve lost my way.” 

“Daddy Do-Little,” shouted the 
Fourteen Little Darling Dogs. 

They ran outside and hugged the 
old fellow and Curly-Tail was pleased 
to invite him into the tent. 

The Darling Dogs forgot all about 
their table manners for Daddy Do- 
Little carried a great basket of good 
things to eat, and they danced about 
the basket and helped themselves. 

By and by Daddy Do-Little grew 
tired of the noise and he whispered 
something into Curly-Tail’s left ear 
and they went outside. 




50 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Daddy Do-Little spread out his 
magic red cotton handkerchief, they 
stepped upon it and sailed away, away, 
away. 

Over hill and dale they went and 
sailed right into Daddy Do-Little’s 
front yard and landed on his door 
step. 

Curly-Tail went into the kitchen and 
put on a blue and white checked apron, 
and made a good fire. 

Daddy Do-Little sat still saying, 

“I made some doughnuts goodness knows 
Some animal stole them, I suppose.” 

Curly-Tail was all this time measur¬ 
ing and sifting and mixing. By and 
by he got out a rolling pin and rolled 
out some wonderful cookies. 





“Over the Hill 


and Dale They Went ” 


51 


















52 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


He took the cookie cutter and cut 
out cookies shaped like animals. 

Soon he had a plate full of cookies 
to take to Daddy Do-Little. 

Daddy Do-Little was delighted, he 
said, 

“Little Curly-Tail, by my eyes, 

You surely take me by surprise, 

Did you use a spoon? Did you use a book? 
Tell me how did you become a cook?” 

Curly-Tail noticed that one cookie 
was larger than the rest and stuck 
to the pan. 

It grew larger, and larger and larger, 
crack, crack it jumped suddenly out of 
the pan and came and stood in the 
doorway, shouting, 




TABLE MANNERS 


53 


“I’m a cookie animal ho, ho, 

Very funny and made of dough, 

With a leap and a bound and scarce a 
sound, 

You’ll see me hop, skip across the ground, 
I’m a cookie animal ho, ho, 

I’ll make my bow before I go.” 

This funny cookie animal made a 
low bow and bounded out of the 
window. 

Daddy Do-Little laughed until he 
cried. 

Curly-Tail ran down the road after 
the cookie animal. 

The cookie animal shouted, 

“I am ahead in the race, 

Don’t bite the nose from my face.” 




54 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Curly-Tail came nearer, and nearer, 
and the cookie animal cried out, 

“Don’t bite my paws, don’t bite my ears, 
Can’t you see I’ve shed some tears?” 

Curly-Tail came so near that the 
cookie animal felt his hot breath and 
he whispered, 

“I have some feelings, I’m growing pale, 
Don’t come any nearer Curly-Tail.” 

Then the cookie dog jumped into a 
hole in a hollow tree, and though 
Curly-Tail stood and coaxed for an 
hour he would not come out. 

When Curly-Tail got back he found 
Daddy Do-Little nodding by the fire. 




TABLE MANNERS 


55 



“It Jumped, Suddenly Out of the Pan” 


Just as he remarked that he thought 
they would see the cookie dog no more, 
‘ ‘rap-a-tap, ” was heard at the window- 
pane, and there stood the cookie dog 
singing, 




56 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


“I really wonder how you are, 

May I sleep to-night in your cookie jar?” 

Curly-Tail opened the window and 
the cookie dog jumped into the cookie 
jar and fell asleep. 

Daddy Do-Little complained, 

“Of a cookie dog I never heard, 

The whole thing now seems quite absurd.” 

They went to bed, and in the morn¬ 
ing, the cookie dog was gone. 





THE COOKIE DOG 

If you are lonesome where you are, 

Just go to meet your cookie jar, 

Then cook a little if you’re able, 

And roll out cookies on your table. 

One day Daddy Do-Little went into 
the kitchen early scolding, 

“I may be deaf and rather old, 

But still you see that I can scold.” 

He looked into his cookie jar and 
his doughnut jar, and his cracker jar, 
and his ginger snap jar, and he found 
though they had been cooking to fill 
them up for days and days, they were 
all empty! 


57 


58 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Curly-Tail tried to get breakfast and 
make Daddy Do-Little forget his 
troubles, but the old fellow would only 
sit in his high backed chair and scold. 

By and by Curly-Tail said, “I have 
no doubt but Sly Foot, the old Wolf, 
knows where your cookies and crack¬ 
ers, and doughnuts, and ginger snaps 
are, and I will go and visit him to-day. 

Daddy Do-Little said, 

“You’re a cunning fellow and ought to 
thrive, 

But you’ll never come back from there 
alive.” 

Curly-Tail laughed as he put on his 
new coat and cap and mittens, but 





59 















60 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Daddy Do-Little said, “He will make 
mince meat of you in a minute.” 

Though it was spring time, there 
had been a light fall of snow, and so 
Curly-Tail went down hill on his sled. 

Daddy Do-Little was so sorry to see 
him go that he cried real tears into his 
new pocket handkerchief. 

Curly-Tail rode away, away, away, 
until he came to Sly Foot’s den, then 
he stopped, for Sly Foot was within 
and roared, 

Old Sly Foot said, 

“Growling and thunder, who is there? 

Is it a doggie? Is it a bear?” 

Curly-Tail replied in a terrible voice, 




THE COOKIE DOG 


61 


“Growling and thunder I’m hearty and 
hale 

And my name, if you please, Sir, is Curly- 
Tail.” 


Old Sly Foot was so surprised to see 
his visitor when he came out of the 
den that he had not a word to say, so 
Curly-Tail continued, 

“Your doughnut jar I’ve come to borrow 
Either to-day, or else to-morrow.” 

Old Sly Foot was so upset at the 
mention of the stolen doughnut jar 
that he turned a backward somersault 
in the snow crying, 

“Ha, ha, ha, the jar will stay 
With me to-morrow and yesterday.” 




62 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Curly-Tail cried, 


“Better take back what you have said, 
But first come riding on my sled.” 


Old Sly Foot was so surprised that 
Curly-Tail was not afraid of him, he 
sat down on the sled with pleasure and 
the first thing, the sled turned them 
head over heels in a snow drift. 

Curly-Tail laughed and said, “Will 
you give up the doughnut jar, and the 
cookie jar, and the ginger snap jar, and 
the cracker jar?” 

“Growling and thunder, I’ll not give 
them up for that one little bump,” 
said Old Sly Foot. 





“The Sled Turned Them Head Over Heels in a Snow Drift” 


63 



















64 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


So, they dragged the sled up hill 
together, when the most surprising 
things began to happen! 

The sled stood up on end, and began 
to chase Sly Foot down hill, it beat 
him too, at every step of the way. 

“Help, help,” he cried, “will this 
sled never stop beating me?” 

The sled chased him back into his 
den and he stood there growling, 

“I’m black and blue, ’tis very true, 

Here are the empty jars for you.” 

Curly-Tail saw it was no use to mince 
matters, so he went into the woods to 
think. 




THE COOKIE DOG 


65 


He dressed up as a peddler and went 
back to Old Sly Foot’s den and began 
to sell his wares. 

Suddenly Sly Foot said, “Those 
don’t look like a peddler’s feet, those 
don’t look like a peddler’s hands.” 

Then his voice rose to a shriek and 
he said, “Those don’t look like a ped¬ 
dler’s ears, and he pulled off Curly- 
Tails cap and saw he had been fooled. 

Curly-Tail only wanted to get into 
the den to see where Old Sly Foot had 
hidden the cookies, and doughnuts, 
and crackers, and ginger snaps. 

Old Sly Foot bound Curly-Tail to a 
chair and set a kettle over the fire to 
boil, saying, 




66 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


“I will boil you very truly, 

For you seem to me unruly.” 

Curly-Tail blew a little silver whistle 
and in trooped the Fourteen Little 
Darling Dogs, to his rescue. 

As they could not find anything Sly 
Foot had taken, they all hastened away 
to the grocers, rattling their pennies 
in their pockets. 

Soon they bought doughnuts, and 
cookies, and crackers, and ginger snaps 
to fill up Daddy Do-Little’s jars. 

As they came to his house they heard 
the old fellow saying, 

“There’s something to worry me without 
fail, 

I wonder what happened to Curly-Tail.” 





67 







68 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


When he saw Curly-Tail and the 
Fourteen Little Darling Dogs with 
their little bags of cookies and dough¬ 
nuts, and ginger snaps, and crackers, 
he was so pleased, he forgot he was old 
and cross and ran out smiling to meet 
them. 

They went inside and began to eat 
out of their paper bags, and Daddy 
Do-Little told such funny ghost stories 
that the hair rose on their backs a 
couple of inches! 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
were afraid to go home in the dark, so 
Daddy Do-Little said. 

“I have made hammocks for fourteen years, 
They’ll be useful too, it now appears.” 




THE COOKIE DOG 


69 


He went to a big box and got out 
fourteen little hammocks, and strung 
them up on hooks for the Fourteen 
Little Darling Dogs to occupy. 

They were pleased you may be sure. 

Curly-Tail went up stairs to occupy 
his own little bed. 

He cried out, when he woke in the 
night, 

“The doughnut jar’s empty still I suppose, 
We ate them all up, as every one knows.” 

Sure enough, they all ate up the 
contents of their little paper bags, 
while Daddy Do-Little told ghost 
stories. 




THE CIRCUS DAY PARADE 

If you are bound on merriment, 

Just step inside a Circus Tent, 

The Clown tells jokes so very funny, 

You’ll find it’s always worth the money. 

One bright spring morning Curly- 
Tail got up early and crept down stairs 
very softly so he would wake no one. 

He went into the kitchen and packed 
a little red and white basket with a 
lunch, and soon he was off, and away. 

He was going to find Pedro. 

He said, “Daddy Do-Little is so 
lonesome, I will never come back until 
I can find Pedro to keep him 
company.” 


70 



What Should He See but a Circus Parade 

71 














































72 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


He sang merrily as he went tripping 
along through the woods that led to 
the town. 

It was now nine o’clock. 

What should he see but a Circus 
Parade. 

He came up to the band wagon and 
began to spin around after his curly 
little tail, and the Band Master said, 

“Ha, ha, ha, don’t be afraid, 

Come, join our Circus Day Parade.” 

“Do you mean it?” asked Curly- 
Tail. 

j The Band Master replied, 

“I talk quite straight, not like a riddle, 

Ha, ha, ha, can you play the fiddle?” 




THE CIRCUS DAY PARADE 


73 


Curly-Tail was glad to be helped 
up on the band wagon. 

He was in a real Circus Day parade. 

The Clowns danced and threw col¬ 
ored candies to the crowd. 

The Band played and played. 

The horses pranced. 

The elephants walked in a long line, 
and all was very splendid indeed. 

The Band Master said, 

“To do your tricks you must not fail, 

I hope you’re a dancer, Curly-Tail.” 

Curly-Tail was never so proud before 
in his life, he danced round and round 
after his tight little tail, as he rode on 




74 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


top of the Band Wagon, and the crowd 
cheered, and said “What a comical 
little fellow.” 

By and by they came to a big tent 
and if you guessed fourteen years you 
could never guess who was walking 
outside on the tight-rope! 

It was his cousin Tangle-Tail, who 
was a famous tight-rope walker. 

When Tangle-Tail saw Curly-Tail, 
he got down off the tight-rope in the 
twinkling of an eye and whispered 
something to him, then they both 
swung up together and walked the 
tight-rope together, their funny little 
tails curling and twisting tighter, every 
step of the way. 










I 1 






/ / 




They Walked the Tight-Rope Together 


75 












































76 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


The crowed cheered, and every one 
wanted to go inside the big tent, of 
course. 

Curly-Tail had a wonderful after¬ 
noon. 

He rode on the horse’s backs in the 
ring, and he walked the tight-rope and 
danced on a big drum, but his most 
delightful adventure was still to come. 

When the Circus was over, he went 
near one of the little side-show tents, 
and heard some one call out, 

“To be a prisoner is not jolly, 

And don’t you dare to call me ‘Polly’.” 

Curly-Tail was so excited he did not 
know what to do. He ran into the 




THE CIRCUS DAY PARADE 


77 


tent and cried, “Pedro, our dear lost 
Pedro.” 

Pedro could hardly believe his eyes 
when he saw Curly-Tail, but he cried, 

“Tho you know my name’s not Polly, 

To talk loudly would be folly.” 

They began to talk and plan about 
getting Pedro home. 

Just then Tangle-Tail came into the 
tent, and said they must get a cage, 
and there was no time to lose as the 
Circus people were coming into the 
tent. 

Then Tangle-Tail thought of an old 
dog-skin he had. He said they would 
wrap it around Pedro, and take him 
in it down the road. 




78 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


They did this, Pedro scolding all 
the while. 

All would have gone well I am sure, 
if they had not met Sly Foot. 

He cried, “Ha, ha, ha, I see my 
Sunday dinner right here before me.” 

Tangle-Tail was never so puzzled be¬ 
fore in his life, and Curly-Tail did not 
know what to do either, and all the 
time Sly Foot was coming nearer and 
nearer. 

He came so close, they could feel 
his hot breath on their cheeks, and he 
shouted, “By my whiskers and tail I 
will have a fine Sunday dinner!” 





Pedro Threw Off the Dog Skin and Flew at Sly Foot 


79 








80 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


At this very minute, Pedro threw 
off the dog-skin and flew at Sly Foot, 
making a terrible noise, he said, 

“Sly Foot, if you are not wise, 

I’ll peck out both your big, black eyes.” 

Sly Foot cried, “Let me go, Sir, let 
me go, Sir, I really meant no harm 
whatever, it was just my little joke.” 

Then Pedro flew on top of his head, 
and shouted in his ear, 

“You may be a joker, wherever you are, 

But don’t you forget the doughnut jar.” 

Then Sly Foot howled, “Let me go, 
Sir, let me go, Sir.” 

Pedro said, 

“Will you leave the Curly-Tails alone, 

And be content with a turkey bone?” 




THE CIRCUS DAY PARADE 


81 


Sly Foot promised, and Pedro gave 
him a little peck on his head as he 
let him go, 

By and by when Sly Foot had run 
away, Curly-Tail set up a shout, for 
the Fourteen Little Darling Dogs were 
coming to meet them. 

They cried, 

“Hurrah, hurrah, this is very jolly, 

Hurrah, hurrah, for our own dear Polly.” 

Pedro replied, 

“I will bite off your ears, you little dears, 
And peck out the eyes of the next one who 
cries, ‘POLLY’!” 

Curly-Tail had once been to school, 
and learned a real yell, so he cried, 




82 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


“What’s the matter with Pedro? 

He’s all right, 

Who’s all right? 

Pedro. 

Who says so? 

WE ALL SAY SO. 

PEDRO.” 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
said when they got near the house, 

“Daddy Do-Little is fast asleep, 

Let us creep in and quiet keep.” 


Pedro flew in the open window. 

His cage door was open. 

He jumped up on his perch and be¬ 
gan soon to swing to and fro on his 
little swing. 




THE CIRCUS DAY PARADE 


83 


The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
sat down in their fourteen little green 
rocking chairs, and began to rock to 
and fro, to and fro. 

Curly-Tail went after his tail and 
then Daddy Do-Little woke up saying, 

“I had a very pleasant dream, 

I thought I heard old Pedro scream.” 

Then they all laughed and made 
a great noise until Daddy Do-Little 
shook his Japanese Parasol, and 
pounded on the floor with it to bring 
the whole company to order. 

Once again they all shouted, “Hur¬ 
rah, hurrah!” 




GARDEN DAYS 

If you ever plant a garden, 

This thing you should know, 

Plant some little magic seeds, 

To make your garden grow. 

Daddy Do-Little was not very fond 
of work. 

He woke up one morning scolding, 

“I must grumble, oh yes, indeed, 

I haven’t a single garden seed.” 

This happened at breakfast, and the 
Fourteen Little Darling Dogs laid 
down their fourteen little spoons, and 


84 


GARDEN DAYS 


85 


Curly-Tail and Tangle-Tail called in 
one breath, “We will plant your gar¬ 
den, we will wish for Magic seed.” 

Then the funniest thing happened. 

Daddy Do-Little turned up his cup, 
and there inside, lay a package of gar¬ 
den seed. 

He took up his saucer, there lay 
another package of seed. 

He looked in his oat-meal bowl, 
there lay another package of seeds. 

He said, 

“I’m surprised indeed today, 

In the merry month of May!” 




86 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Under everything he picked up was 
a package of garden seeds, a present 
from his little friends. 

Suddenly he remembered that he 
did not like to work very well, so he 
said, 

“I am too stiff for rake and hoe, 

I cannot plant seeds in a row.” 

Then the Fourteen Little Darling 
Dogs slipped out of the house and took 
up their fourteen little rakes and hoes 
and spades, and began to make a gar¬ 
den. 

Curly-Tail and Tangle-Tail dropped 
in the seeds. 

Daddy Do-Little called, 

















TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


“Too many beans and too many peas 
Plant some cabbage and lettuce please.” 

“Cabbages and lettuce,” shouted 
Pedro, “and don’t forget my sun¬ 
flowers, how I do like sunflower seeds!” 

They worked all day with rake, and 
spade, and hoe, and wheelbarrow, and 
Daddy Do-Little and Pedro shouted 
directions from time to time. 

“Make a wide path, don’t make it narrow, 
Come this way with the old wheelbarrow.” 

The sun shone warm and bright, 
and then patter, patter, patter fell the 
rain in a sudden shower. 

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs 
took up their fourteen little rakes and 
went merrily homeward, shouting, 




GARDEN DAYS 


89 


“To make a good garden we always try, 
Daddy Do-Little good bye, good bye.” 

Daddy Do-Little waved his new 
red handkerchief in farewell, and 
shouted, 

“I am so lazy, I wonder why, 

You always have to call good bye.” 

Tangle-Tail then made his best bow 
and said, 

“I’m a tight-rope walker, I make confession 
I have to go follow my profession.” 

As he went off down the road Daddy 
Do-Little began to weep, but Curly- 
Tail cried, 

“I’m not going away, I promise to stay, 

A year, a week, a month and day.” 




90 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


Then Pedro said, 

“If what Parrots say is ever true, 

I’ll NEVER say good bye to you.” 

Then Daddy Do-Little felt cheered 
up you may be sure. He said to the 
Parrot, 

“You’ll have to behave, Sir, for one of your 
age, 

I’d really expect you to stay in your cage.” 

Turning to Curly-Tail he said, 

“ ’Tis time for bed, oh goodness me, 

Each hour grows later as you see.” 

They all went merrily to bed. 

When the moon came out Curly- 
Tail crept down stairs and went out 
into the garden, singing little songs 
like these, 





Curly-Tail Went Out in the Garden 


91 













































































92 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


“Little seeds you must grow, grow, grow, 
For we have been making a garden you 
know.” 

Then the little seeds sent their roots 
down into the earth and they sent 
their green shoots up. 

They grew very fast, for they were 
magic seeds of course, 

Curly-Tail danced up to bed and 
fell asleep dreaming happy dreams. 

In the morning Pedro got breakfast 
and Daddy Do-Little was so happy to 
have company that he just sat in the 
corner and forgot to look out at his 
garden all day. 




GARDEN DAYS 


93 


When evening came, Curly-Tail 
said, 

“Daddy Do-Little nobody knows, 

As well as I, how your garden grows.” 

They went out together and Daddy 
Do-Little rubbed his eyes, for every¬ 
thing was coming up in even rows. 

At that very minute Curly-Tail set 
up a shout for the Fourteen Little 
Darling Dogs came trooping along, 
and they all had picnic baskets! They 
sang, 

“A surprise party’s well if it doesn’t fail, 

A happy birthday to Curly-Tail!” 

Sure enough, it was Curly-Tail’s 
birthday and the funny part of it was, 
nobody knew how old he was. 




94 


TALE OF CURLY-TAIL 


They had the picnic on the porch 
and Daddy Do-Little said, 

“I am very happy, I’m hale and hearty, 

I always enjoy a birthday party.” 

Curly-Tail danced so hard round, 
and round, and round, after his little 
tightly curled up tail, that I think he 
danced right out of the book, if you 
really want to know what became of 
him, 

Just send him a letter through the mail, 
And address it to Little Curly-Tail. 


FINIS 





He Danced Right Out of the Book 


































































































































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